Three Catalan municipalities, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Granollers and Viladecans, presented their urban transformation projects at the VII Cities Forum in Madrid, held from 9 to 11 June. The projects are supported by the Barcelona Provincial Council and form part of the UN-Habitat Spain programme, Ciudades que se superan.
Representatives from the three city councils attended the forum with Rosa Sanz, coordinator of the Urban Planning, Housing and Urban Regeneration Area at the Barcelona Provincial Council. They set out pilot projects designed to speed up their local urban agendas, following an international agreement between the Provincial Council and UN-Habitat Spain.
In Sant Boi de Llobregat, First Deputy Mayor José Ángel Carcelén said the project focuses on urban regeneration in areas such as La Parellada. It includes adapting to flood risk and developing urban responses based on climate resilience.
In Granollers, Councillor for Strategic Planning and Finance Martí Pujadas Ferrer said the city wants to involve residents in its re-naturalisation process. The plan includes changes to mobility and public space, new green areas, the restoration of ecological corridors and the use of nature-based solutions in urban planning.
In Viladecans, Mayor Olga Morales Segura said the project introduces a new approach to local public housing policy by involving young people.
Rosa Sanz said the Ciudades que se superan programme connects directly with how the Provincial Council supports local government, not only through technical help but also through strategic support, capacity building and knowledge transfer between municipalities. She also said medium-sized cities are essential for thinking about the urban future of the country. Lorena Perona, head of the Urban Improvement Strategies section of the Urban Planning Service, also detailed the Provincial Council's initiatives and resources for municipalities with planning deficiencies.
The three municipalities are part of the Barcelona Provincial Council's Local Urban Agendas Network, known as XAUL. The network is used to exchange, train, monitor and evaluate local urban agendas across the Barcelona region. Since it was created in 2021, 65 local governments, representing 163 municipalities in Barcelona, have joined. Sant Boi de Llobregat, Viladecans and Granollers were selected for the programme through this network. For more on local policy coverage, see our news tag.
Barcelona Provincial Council, UN-Habitat and the UN-Habitat Spain programme are the main bodies linked to the initiative. The programme supports medium-sized cities, defined here as those with between 50,000 and 200,000 residents, and aims to help implement urban agenda action plans, the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 11. It also creates communities of practice so municipalities can share experience and learning.