Political Pressure Grows Over Delayed Prison Move
The Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) group in Lleida has warned that the relocation of the Centre Penitenciari Ponent remains stalled, more than a year after the Generalitat announced it was studying the move. The party is urging both the regional government and Lleida City Council (known locally as La Paeria) to confirm a new location and establish a clear timeline for the transfer. ERC recalls that the Civic Table on Penitentiary Policy was set up in July 2024 and that, in April 2025, the Department of Justice confirmed it was evaluating the relocation of the facility. However, as of late September 2026, no decision has been made on either the new site or the schedule for execution.
The new city planning plan already includes the prison's relocation as a major urban transformation project, and this planning must now be matched with concrete action.
Outdated Facility in Urban Area
The current prison, formed from the older Lleida-1 (built in 1954) and Lleida-2 (1984), is the oldest operational prison in Catalonia following the closure of Barcelona’s Model prison in 2017. According to Justice Department sources cited by Segre.com on 15 September 2026, the facility is considered the most obsolete and worn in the region. Despite its age and location within the urban fabric, bordering the Ciutat Jardí and Joc de la Bola neighbourhoods, no firm decision has been taken on whether to build a new facility outside the city or carry out a full renovation. Local residents and workers have long called for a new site, arguing that retrofitting the existing complex would be excessively costly.
Current Upgrades Continue Amid Uncertainty
While the long-term future remains unclear, the Generalitat has allocated over €13.2 million for improvements at the current site between 2025 and 2026. These investments include maintenance and operational upgrades, but ERC cautions that such measures should not indefinitely delay a final decision on the prison’s future. The prison currently holds 672 inmates, according to penal enforcement data from early September 2026–150 more than in April 2022, representing a 28% increase. This rise mirrors a broader trend across Catalonia, where the inmate population has grown by 25% in four years, nearing the system’s 10,000-capacity limit. If relocated, the current site could free up approximately 30,000 square metres of land between Ciutat Jardí and Joc de la Bola for future residential development and green spaces, ERC notes.
Primary sources: govern.cat, infraestructures.gencat.cat. Reported by lamanyana.cat, Segre.com, UA1 Lleida 104.5 FM.
