Covarrubias

Can you build a house on rustic land?

Castilla y León allows a new house on rustic land only when a farm needs it. Otherwise it has to go in a village, or restore a building.

Ley 5/1999, art. 23.1.e. A town plan can be stricter.

Plan in force: Normas Subsidiarias (an older, simpler plan), from 2001. The region's planning viewer ↗

The national urban information system (SIU) maps the land class for 99% of the municipality.

Only the town hall can confirm it, in writing: ask for a certificado urbanístico.

Is there water?

No well or borehole is recorded in Covarrubias. That is not proof there is no water: ask local drillers.

Ground: 31% low permeability, local groundwater only; 27% porous aquifer, medium productivity; 18% porous aquifer, high productivity; 15% karstic or fissured aquifer, high productivity; 9.5% karstic or fissured aquifer, medium productivity.

Choosing where to drill takes a hydrogeologist.

What to watch for

• No mapped fire since 2016.
• 4% of the municipality lies in the 100-year flood zone; 4.8% in the 500-year one.
• 1.6% of the municipality is preferential flow zone, where new building is generally banned.
• 52% of the municipality is Natura 2000: new works need the region's consent.
• 55% of the municipality is a protected natural area, whose plan limits what can be done.
• Radon zone I: new and restored homes need radon protection by law.

Living here

• 4G reaches 99% of homes; fibre 77%. Averages for the municipality.
• Rain: 541 mm a year (1971–2000), about 501 by 2041–2070.
• Summer highs: 25.9 °C, about 29.9 °C by 2041–2070.
• Frost days: 92 a year, about 65 by 2041–2070.

Around it

Retuerta · Puentedura · Hortigüela · Mambrillas de Lara · Mecerreyes · Quintanilla del Coco · Cebrecos