The Catalan government has approved a new decree to simplify urban planning procedures in municipalities with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants, a move expected to benefit 80% of villages in Lleida. This new regulation, passed yesterday, allows local councils to convert existing buildings on non-urban land, such as farms or warehouses without heritage value, into residential homes.
This measure aims to combat depopulation and address housing development challenges in rural areas. Up to 191 municipalities in Lleida will be able to use this new framework, according to government officials. The changes are designed to make it easier for people to live and work in these smaller communities.
Streamlining Rural Development
To put this regulatory change into effect, the decree establishes an inventory of buildings on non-urban land, which each council will approve. This list will be distinct from the existing catalogue of farmhouses and rural properties designated for preservation. Instead, the new inventory will identify buildings suitable for conversion into permanent residences or for economic activities.
These conversions will only require a municipal licence, removing the need for a report from the Generalitat's Territorial Urban Planning Commission (CTU). The new rules also permit extensions of up to 150 square metres of built surface, provided there is justification for landscape integration. Additionally, the decree introduces the concept of 'rural neighbourhoods' for population centres located on non-urban land that have been established for at least 100 years.
New Planning Tools for Villages
The decree introduces two new urban development frameworks for villages: the Rural Municipal Urban Planning Plan (POUM rural) for moderate growth, and planning norms for areas without growth. Existing POUMs require a lengthy approval process, involving initial and provisional approvals from the council, a definitive approval from the CTU, and a full environmental assessment with extensive documentation.
In contrast, the POUM rural will follow a similar process but will be subject to simplified environmental assessments and require less documentation. Planning norms, on the other hand, can be approved directly by each council after a prior, mandatory, and binding report from the CTU. This change is expected to significantly reduce approval times for planning projects, from the current 7 to 10 years down to just 2 years.
Sílvia Paneque, the regional minister, explained that the decree also includes measures related to contracting. Rural municipalities will now be able to jointly contract both the design and execution of public works and building projects.
Jaume Gilabert, the mayor of Montgai and president of Eines de Repoblament Rural, a lobby representing 500 micro-villages in Catalonia, welcomed the regulatory change. He said it addresses housing issues and helps people settle in villages.
Affordable Housing Initiatives
In a related development, the government yesterday launched the first call for tenders for plots capable of accommodating fewer than twenty homes. This initiative includes eight publicly owned plots in Baix Pallars, Bellver de Cerdanya, Llavorsí, Rialp, Vielha, Balaguer, and Juneda. These plots are intended for the construction of 142 affordable rental homes across these seven municipalities. This move complements the new urban planning decree by providing additional avenues for increasing housing availability in rural and semi-rural areas of Lleida.
