Tag: schools

Barcelona to Build Social Housing on the Rooftops of Schools & Markets

7 December 2018 – Eje Prime

Barcelona is adding a new twist to its efforts to increase its stock of public housing. The Town Hall of the Catalan capital, governed by Ada Colau, is planning to build social housing units for rent on the rooftops of public buildings such as libraries, markets, schools and even a metro station.

The first test of this new housing model will be carried out in the Gràcia neighbourhood. The Town Hall’s urban planning area is also looking at other areas in the city such as the Gothic neighbourhood, El Raval, Ciutat Vella, Sant Antoni and the Sagrada Family district, according to El País. Another idea that the Town Hall is considering is building flats on top of the Fontana metro station in Gràcia.

The Town Hall is searching for public buildings that have not used up all of their buildability into which to incorporate social housing. The benefit of this model is its speed, given that the procedures would be streamlined by the absence of the need to modify the current urban plan.

This new proposal from the Town Hall of Barcelona forms part of the Housing Plan 2016-2025, which Ada Colau’s government launched two years ago. Another formula that the Town Hall is going to use is Aprop, whereby homes are constructed inside (shipping) containers.

Moreover, this week, Colau received the green light from the Generalitat de Catalunya to establish her star measure involving new-build projects. Barcelona is going to modify its metropolitan general plan (Mgpm) so that 30% of all new build and renovated residential developments must be allocated to social housing.

Original story: Eje Prime

Translation: Carmel Drake

New Urban Planning PGOU Approved for Málaga

25 November 2017 – Diario Sur

Following the annulment of the PGOU approved in 2010, the route map towards the normalisation of urban planning in Marbella has taken a step forward with the initial approval of some new urban planning rules. The latest document seeks to “update” the plan approved in 1986, which is still valid now and which will serve as the basis for drafting the new PGOU that the city needs. The process, which was approved by the plenary with votes in favour from the government’s team (PP and OSP) and the PSOE, and votes against from IU and Costa del Sol Sí Puede, must now be completed with text from the provincial delegation of the Junta’s Environment Board, prior to the issuance of a mandatory report. Subsequently, it will be presented to the plenary again for definitive approval (…).

In practice, and as the councillor for Land Planning, María Francisca Caracuel, explained, modifications have been made to the framework, amongst others, “which affect many homes” and which mean that “extensions, improvements and renovations will now be allowed” on buildings that were left out of the guidelines after the 2010 plan was annulled.

Another change will affect plots of land, for which it is not currently possible to grant construction licences because no approved urban planning projects exist, in accordance with the plan approved in 1986 “even though, in reality, they are already partially developed”. In these cases, the common rules open the door for the plots to be developed, by submitting an urbanisation work project “which is less complex and which can be processed in less time”.

The new rules will authorise hospitality use on the first floors of homes in the Casco Antiguo (Old Town) and will allow hotel establishments to expand their facilities onto adjoining plots even if the use of those sites is not strictly for hotel purposes (…).

Established urban plots

In the field of urban planning, the plenary also ratified (with votes in favour from the government team, against from IU and CSSP, and abstentions from the PSOE) the proposal made by the Councillor for Land Planning to incorporate established urban plots into the urban development plans, after they have been declared as such by binding legal rulings, administrative declarations, own acts, plenary agreements or by the Local Government. The councillor insisted that, given that it does not require any structural changes, there is no need for the document to be subjected to a new public consultation period, as had been requested by the other municipal groups.

In other matters, the municipal corporation also gave the green light, unanimously, to the proposal from the deputy mayor of San Pedro Alcántara, Rafael Piña (…) to begin the paperwork for the construction of a new secondary school in the south of San Pedro (…).

Finally, the plenary also approved, amongst other items, a proposal from IU to create a network of roads to connect the urbanisations between Bello Horizonte and Elviria, to form a 10km network that will offer a safe alternative to the A-7 motorway, which is “always packed and dangerous”.

Original story: Diario Sur (by Mónica Pérez)

Translation: Carmel Drake