Council Approves Joint Company for Besòs Revamp
On Tuesday 20th October 2026, Barcelona City Council provisionally approved the creation of a mixed public company, Impulsem Futur Besòs-Maresme SA, to lead the urban regeneration of 4,000 homes in the Besòs and Maresme neighbourhoods. The project follows years of structural concerns in the area, where some buildings are partially supported by temporary props due to serious construction defects. The joint venture between the city and the Catalan regional government, known as the Generalitat, passed with support from all parties except the PP, which abstained, and Vox, which deferred its final position to a future plenary session.
Demolition Scenario Revealed in Technical Document
Controversy emerged when Barcelona en Comú revealed that the economic report underpinning the company’s creation outlines two potential scenarios. One involves the full rehabilitation of all 4,000 homes. The other includes the demolition and reconstruction of 1,800 flats between 2031 and 2036, citing the severity of structural pathologies. Lucía Martín, councillor for Barcelona en Comú, stated that only 1,500 of the affected households would be entitled to rehousing under this scenario. She accused Deputy Mayor Laia Bonet of misleading the public, saying the technical documentation clearly includes demolition as an option.
The city is working exclusively on 100% rehabilitation. Demolition is not on the table.
In response, municipal sources stressed that the demolition scenario is a required hypothetical for financial viability assessments, not an active plan. They confirmed that only the full rehabilitation option is being pursued operationally, in line with the city’s official stance. The same sources noted that both scenarios were costed at €415 million, described as a "historic investment", due to the high expense of stabilising and retrofitting existing structures compared to partial rebuilding.
Political Tensions Escalate
The disclosure triggered a heated exchange between Martín and Bonet, former allies during Ada Colau’s mayoralty. Barcelona en Comú submitted a motion to censure Bonet over her handling of resident complaints, including residents being fined for maintenance issues despite living in buildings with state-recognised structural flaws. The censure motion passed with votes from Barcelona en Comú, Junts, PP, and Vox. While ERC supported the criticism, it questioned the consistency of backing both the regeneration company and condemning its oversight. Residents in the Besòs-Maresme area have long raised concerns about safety and bureaucratic delays. The urban regeneration project, first detailed in a 2023 urban improvement plan, identifies five categories of building defects, including structural weaknesses and concrete fatigue, to prioritise intervention.
What This Means for Residents
Although demolition remains a theoretical scenario in a planning document, no evictions or demolitions are planned. The city reaffirms that all current work focuses on rehabilitation. Under the current municipal term (2023–2027), renovations are scheduled for 204 flats in a pilot project, with urban plans to be defined for a further 693 homes. Affected residents should monitor official updates via the Barcelona City Council’s housing regeneration portal.
Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Barcelona City Council, Gerència d'Àrea d'Urbanisme i Habitatge, Francesc R. Reported by elpais.com, surtdecasa.cat, festamajordegracia.cat, elperiodico.com.
