This is reflected in the Urban Development Plan agreed upon by PSE-EE, PNV and Podemos, which is committed to a ‘compact’, coherent city and eradicating the ‘expansionist’ trend.
PSE-EE, PNV and Elkarrekin have agreed on the General Urban Plan (PGOU) of Vitoria-Gasteiz, which is committed to growth “inside” and is not considering more industrial land than planned for Mercedes, Michelin and Basquevolt.
The PGOU, that one hasn’t been updated in over twenty years -the current one dates from 2003-, was initially approved 15 months ago with votes in favor of the same three factions, while EH Bildu abstained and the PP voted against. Since then, more than 300 accusations have been received by the municipality.
The trial currently underway is the response document to these allegations. Then the document containing the accepted charges will be approved before the end of the year and finally the final document must be approved, for which we will have to wait for the summer of next year.
The plan designs the city in the medium term, with a commitment to a ‘compact’ and coherent city, eradicating the ‘expansionist’ tendencyIt therefore foresees the city growing ‘inwards’, with residential regeneration at its core, and without more industrial land than planned, despite the requests of businessmen.
Key features of the plan
It provides a reserve of land for the construction of a further 25,000 homes, which are estimated to be able to meet demand over the next ten years.
The door is closed to building south-facing apartments, one of the ambitions of real estate companies. Along the same lines, the southern ring road project is rejected.
What is new is that the location of ground floor properties that have been vacant for a long time will be allowed, although it has been made clear that there will be no “open bar” for placing houses in fish markets.
Tourist homes will be limited to the first floor.
Regarding the future burial of the train and what should be done on the surface that will be released, a reduction in the number of housing planned according to a 2019 IDOM study is being considered, namely 1,400 apartments, so that now the maximum range will be between 800 and 900 homes.
Moreover, despite the demands of Alava businessmen, there will not be more industrial land than already planned. The only new areas are therefore those already planned for the expansion of Mercedes, Michelin and the Basquevolt battery factory in Miñano.
However, a door is left open to allow land in case there are more industrial or logistics projects in the future, which are not there at the moment.
In addition, efforts will be made to utilize and rehabilitate unused land in other already consolidated industrial estates, such as Gamarra and Betoño.
To densify industrial land, companies are allowed to increase the buildable area from 0.9 currently to 1.25 square meters per square meter. In addition, conditions such as the use and height of industrial installations are made more flexible.
Other measures
There will be terraces on the Plaza de Abastos or the Palacio Europa, although more steps will have to be taken first, such as calculating the capacity.
Priority is given to installing photovoltaic panels in areas that are already urbanized, such as roofs and covers, thus protecting agricultural land.
The non-cultivable area will also increase by 922 hectares, mainly agricultural land.
The project presented by Marianistas accepts the possibility of building housing, including VPO housing, although research will first be carried out on the buildability and impact on traffic in the area.
Both the mayor, Maider Etxebarria, and the deputy mayor, Beatriz Artolazabal, agree that today is an important day, which will enable a better, ‘compact, coherent and sustainable’ city.
Source: EITB
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
