Oliana Council in Lleida has announced its intention to apply for the second call of the public land reserve, an initiative by the Generalitat to speed up public housing construction. This new process, which is open until 15 June, allows councils and private developers to include buildings needing rehabilitation work, thereby increasing the number of potential flats.
The Alt Urgell council plans to transform the former Civil Guard barracks, located at one of the town's entrances, into social housing. The building has the capacity for ten flats, which will be publicly owned and offered at affordable rents to groups with special or temporary housing needs. Mayor Ricard Pérez explained that some of these homes will be reserved for young people registered in the municipality.
First Public Housing Development
Pérez stated that the barracks project would be Oliana's first public housing development of this kind. He told reporters, "We increasingly have more people with housing needs, and being able to apply for this line of aid is a very positive thing." The building, constructed in the 1970s, stands by the C-14 road, next to Oliana's volunteer fire station.
The council purchased the barracks in 2015 after 12 years of negotiations with the Ministry of Interior. In 2003, the central government requested €300,000 for the building. By 2011, it agreed to reduce the price to €71,000, the value set by the Cadastre at the time. The council ultimately finalised the purchase for €8,000.
Unfinished Renovation Plans
At the time of purchase, the council planned to refurbish the building, which was significantly deteriorated due to vandalism. Announced improvements included painting the facade, repairing the roof damaged by strong winds in 2012, mending the perimeter fence, and boarding up exterior windows. However, most of these measures were not carried out. The council also projected adapting the entire ground floor, covering 325 square metres, for use as a municipal warehouse.
Moving forward, the council's application to the Generalitat's public land reserve will determine the feasibility and timeline for the social housing project. If successful, it will provide much-needed affordable accommodation for Oliana residents.
