In 1986 I bought a building plot on a development in the eastern French Pyrenees between Le Boulou and Argeles with the intention of building a house in 2001 for my retirement when my endowment was due to mature. Shortly before that date, the local Mayor brought in a bye-law (locally known as a POS) to prevent further building on the development by reason of fire security. It affected myself and 12 other land owners. I had written off the value of the land until I was approached by one of the other owners, and we decided to fight the Mayor. I learned of a group called ADECCAA (Association pour la Defence des Citoyens Contra les Abuses des Administrations). A Citizens' Advice Bureau with teeth and resources. It transpired that the proper channels had not been followed in the inception of the POS, and it was thrown out. Immediately, the Mayor set wheels in motion to create a new POS, which would take 3 months. We also submitted planning applications (Certificat d'Urbanisacion), which must be responded to by the Mayor within 2 months. There was no reason to refuse the applications, but the Mayor deliberately delayed replying for 3 months in order to decline under the new POS. By doing so, she acted illegally and contravened our Civil and Human Rights. The regional authorities supported her, and the case is now going to the Courts in Marseille, and possibly even the European Courts as 9 of the 12 landowners are non-French. Had we been aware of the hassle this would involve, we would have laid the foundations before the original POS.