A step forward in protecting the urban identity and historical make-up of the Vila de Gràcia and part of the adjacent neighbourhoods. The urban plan for the area is being adapted to conserve existing buildings, increase protected housing, promote sustainable mobility and boost greenery. The document has been developed with input from local residents via a participatory process.
The measure sets out new urban planning criteria to preserve the make-up of the landscape of the Vila de Gràcia neighbourhood and part of the adjacent neighbourhoods of La Salut, Vallcarca and El Camp d’en Grassot i Gràcia Nova:
- Priority will be given to the regeneration of existing buildings, rather than their substitution.
- Work must be consistent with the historical character of buildings.
- New buildings will have to fit in with their surroundings.
Two thousand new protected homes
The update to the urban plan envisages the creation of two thousand protected homes with:
- Extension of the reservation of 30% of new-build homes as protected housing, established for buildings with more than 400 square metres of floor space in this area.
- Obligation to allocate properties which are subdivided as protected housing. Only properties of more than 160 square metres will be able to be separated.
- Additional floors, unconsolidated extensions to upper floors and the promotion of new ones to be classified as protected housing.
In addition, ground floor premises can only be turned into homes if they are in streets which are not part of shopping areas.
More life in the streets and more journeys on foot
A system of active streets will be defined, with a bias for civic uses and shops and businesses which foster community activity.
Pedestrians will get priority in these streets, with access and parking for vehicles restricted.
More sustainable mobility
The plan seeks to condition all streets for bicycle use and make this compatible with pedestrian use, also adding ground floor bike parking spaces in officially protected blocks.
To discourage the use of private motor vehicles among local people, new exceptions will be established which make new buildings exempt from the obligation to reserve places for private parking.
More greenery
The measures to be applied in streets, parks and gardens, interior quadrangles, rooftops and the party walls of new buildings mean an increase in greenery.
Environmental criteria will be applied in each case and take into account the soil, biomass and biodiversity of the area in question.
The process to update to the urban plan will now move onto the commission stage.