The Metropolitan Area of ??Barcelona (AMB) has taken a key step in its territorial planning, in the definition of how it wants to be by 2050. Yesterday it initially approved the Metropolitan Urban Master Plan (PDUM), which sets the elements structuring of the conurbation that forms the Catalan capital and the 35 municipalities in its immediate surroundings, where 3.3 million people reside. It updates the drawing that was made in 1976, embodied in the General Metropolitan Plan (PGM), which has so far had around 1,600 modifications to adapt to the needs that have been emerging. With this update, it is intended to face the challenges that the current metropolis has to face, among which housing, one of the most pressing. That is why it is planned to build 217,000 new homes, at least 120,000 of which will be affordable.
With the boost to the residential offer, “a response is given to housing needs without depriving territories”, emphasizes the vice-president of Urban Policies of the AMB, Jordi Sánchez. The aim is to ensure that 10% of the main homes in metropolitan municipalities are stably affordable. Within this figure, 62,000 social rental flats are planned for the most disadvantaged population.
The initially approved PDUM was drafted based on an advance document agreed in March 2019. In the process, the contributions of political groups, municipalities and also citizens were collected through participatory processes. The text was given the green light by a very large majority of the Metropolitan Council. All the groups, including those of the Government – ??PSC, communes, ERC and Junts – voted in favor, except for the PP and Cs and two individuals from Ripollet and Torrelles de Llobregat, who abstained. There was no vote against. The document is now open for public information, to receive comments, until October 30. Then another will be drawn up with the changes that are agreed to be incorporated to be provisionally approved by the AMB and then definitively by the Generalitat. The details of the urban qualifications will be specified in the Metropolitan Urban Planning Plan (POUMet), which will be drawn up later. So there is still a long way to go to retire the old PGM.
“The PDUM represents a step forward in the exercise of the powers of the AMB, a choral document, the sum of the metropolitan vision with the local vision of the municipalities, which has sought a balance that avoids the center-periphery dichotomy”. emphasizes Sánchez. This approach is present throughout the plan, which, for example, sets 15 new poles of attraction – with housing, economic activity, transport nodes… – spread over the territory with the aim of setting up a polycentric network. These poles include Porta Diagonal, la Torrassa, Quatre Camins, Baricentro, Montcada Bifurcació, Besòs-Gran Via C-31, Hospital General, TV3 Diagonal or the three chimneys of Sant Adrià.
These axes add up to more than 240 kilometers and are designed for surface public transport (rapid bus or tram) and for active mobility, with bike lanes and large spaces for pedestrians. An example is the Gran Via that goes from Castelldefels to Montgat. By adding other types of roads, the aim is to reach 870 kilometers of green roads.
In terms of mobility, the PDUM proposes that more than 50% of metropolitan journeys be made on foot or by bicycle and 30% by public transport. It also determines, in relation to this, that the use of the private vehicle is reduced to half of what it is now. These objectives are transferred to road and railway planning.
“The metropolis is largely already built and, therefore, this plan is for revision and recycling”, adds Sánchez. In this sense, the urban generation is key. This entails, for example, transforming buildings and equipment, as well as public space with the aim of improving the quality of life, especially in areas with higher rates of social vulnerability.
Another aspect that the PDUM collects is the preservation of open spaces, which exceed 32,000 hectares, 51% of the total metropolitan area, 4.2% more than what is now classified as non-developable land.
