The long-running situation surrounding the Don Pepe apartments in Sant Josep has taken another step forward, after the town hall approved the legal equalisation of the complex's two blocks.

The decision gives Block A the same presumption of legality as Block B, based on evidence that both buildings appear to have followed the same administrative process when they were constructed in the 1960s.

The move could help open a route towards rehabilitating the buildings and potentially allow affected residents to return to their homes.

However, the decision does not grant a new building licence or immediately authorise rehabilitation works. It is instead a legal step intended to allow the administrative and judicial process to continue.

What Has Sant Josep Approved?

The ordinary plenary session of Sant Josep Town Hall approved the legal equalisation of Block A and Block B of the apartments known as Don Pepe.

The key issue concerns Block A, for which the municipality has not been able to locate the original building licence.

The town hall's legal report concludes that, despite the missing document, there are several indications that the construction of both blocks was processed together.

Block B, meanwhile, has documented evidence of its construction licence.

The latest agreement therefore recognises a presumption of legality for the processing of Block A and places it on the same legal footing as Block B for the purposes of continuing the process.

Why Is the Building Licence Important?

The history of Don Pepe dates back to the 1960s.

The buildings were constructed as part of the same development, but the documentation available today does not contain the original licence document for Block A.

The municipality's legal analysis found several pieces of evidence suggesting that the two blocks were processed together.

Among them are the simultaneous presentation of two substantially identical projects, payment of the relevant municipal charges for both buildings and authorisation from the military authorities for construction of the two blocks.

The public deed documenting the new construction in 1965 also refers to administrative authorisations for both buildings.

The complex was subsequently included in the Es Codolar Partial Plan.

This Does Not Mean a New Licence Has Been Granted

One of the most important points in the latest decision is what it does not do.

Sant Josep Town Hall has not issued a new building licence for Block A.

Instead, it has recognised the presumption that the original processing of the block was legal and equated its legal position with that of Block B.

This distinction matters because further administrative and judicial steps are still required before rehabilitation can take place.

The town hall says the decision provides a legal basis from which it can continue working towards a solution.

A Possible Alternative to Demolition

The latest move could help create an alternative to demolishing the building.

The Don Pepe apartments have been at the centre of a long-running dispute after Block A was evacuated and sealed in 2021 following the declaration of ruin.

Since then, affected residents have been involved in negotiations with the authorities over the future of their homes.

Different solutions have been considered, including the possibility of constructing new housing for residents who were displaced.

The latest legal route instead seeks to make rehabilitation of the existing buildings possible.

The Technical Side Is Also Important

The legal decision comes alongside a more recent technical assessment.

A municipal technical report dated August 24, 2026, concluded that structural rehabilitation of Block A is technically possible.

This is significant because the legal and technical questions surrounding the building have both needed to be addressed before a rehabilitation route could realistically progress.

The town hall has also pointed to a recent modification of the Law on Urban Planning of the Balearic Islands (LUIB), which expressly provides for works and repairs required for reasons including safety, health and hygiene.

What Happens Next?

The latest decision is not the end of the process.

Sant Josep had already agreed in December 2025 to authorise the mayor to pursue the necessary steps towards a possible judicial settlement in the proceedings connected with the declaration of ruin and evacuation of the Don Pepe apartments.

The proposed settlement will still have to return to the municipal plenary session for final approval before it could potentially be presented to the court for homologation.

That means there are still several stages to complete before residents can return.

More Than 100 Families Have Been Affected

The future of Don Pepe matters particularly because of the number of residents affected by the situation.

The apartments have been at the centre of negotiations between the residents, the property owners and different levels of government for several years.

For the families who were forced to leave, the possibility of rehabilitating the buildings offers the prospect of eventually returning to their homes.

However, that possibility remains dependent on the completion of the legal, technical and administrative process.

Residents Have Been Waiting for Years

The Don Pepe case has become one of Ibiza's most complicated housing and urban-planning disputes.

The apartments are located in the Cala de Bou area of Sant Josep, close to the coast, and the controversy has continued for years because of the conflicting questions surrounding the buildings' legal status and structural condition.

The municipality has been working with the Govern balear, Consell de Ibiza and representatives of the residents to investigate possible solutions.

A technical and legal review of the buildings began well before the latest plenary decision.

Not Everyone Agrees With the New Approach

While the Sant Josep government considers the decision an important step towards a possible rehabilitation, not all political groups share that assessment.

According to Cadena SER, opposition groups have criticised the decision and argued that it does not actually change the current situation for the affected residents.

This means that the latest vote should not be interpreted as a final resolution of the Don Pepe dispute.

The political disagreement reflects the wider uncertainty surrounding how the legal situation will ultimately be resolved.

A Possible New Chapter for Don Pepe

For the town hall, the objective is now to continue along the legal and technical route that could make rehabilitation possible.

The municipality says the latest decision provides greater legal certainty and allows it to continue working towards a solution that could eventually allow the affected families to return.

But there is still work to be done.

The proposed judicial settlement must progress, the necessary administrative procedures must continue and any future rehabilitation works will need to comply with the relevant technical and legal requirements.

What the Latest Decision Really Means

The Don Pepe apartments are not yet rehabilitated, and the latest vote does not itself give permission for construction work.

What it does is recognise the presumption that Block A's original licensing process was legal and should be treated in the same way as the documented Block B process.

That gives Sant Josep a new basis for continuing towards a possible rehabilitation solution.

For the families who have spent years waiting, it is another step forward, although the final outcome remains dependent on the next stages of the process.

The goal is now clear: find a legally and technically viable way to rehabilitate Don Pepe and potentially allow the affected residents to return to their homes.