Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has called for a debate on creating a right of first refusal for commercial premises considered emblematic because of their history or in need of preservation.
Under the proposal reported by ACN through betevé, the Generalitat, Catalonia’s regional government, or Barcelona City Council would have a preferential option to buy such a premises when its owner sells it. For traders and residents, the measure would seek to give public authorities a chance to acquire qualifying shops before a sale is completed.
The report does not set out a proposed budget, the criteria a premises would have to meet, a timetable, or a procedure through which owners or businesses could apply. It is a call to open a policy debate, rather than an announced purchase scheme.
Earlier City Council purchases were tied to vacant premises
Collboni has previously addressed municipal purchases of commercial units. In April 2022, while serving as Barcelona’s first deputy mayor, he said the City Council would not buy premises through its Amunt Persianes programme unless they were vacant.
According to reporting by El Periódico, 50 premises had been selected for a €16 million investment intended to stimulate commerce. The allocation included €3.2 million for 16 units at 6–8 Carrer del Doctor Nubiola i Espinós in Les Corts.
- Only two of those 16 premises were vacant at the time of the report.
- Three had active rental agreements.
- Eleven had leases with tacit renewal.
Residents, traders and property owners do not currently have a new municipal process to follow under Collboni’s latest proposal. Any future scheme would require the Generalitat or Barcelona City Council to define which premises qualify and how a preferential purchase right would operate.
Primary sources: Barcelona City Council, Barcelona City Council. Reported by Source Text Link, SPI News, Toni Sust, beteve.cat, perezllorca.com, catalannews.com, Gerard Pruna, Guillaume, Leticia Blanco, barna.news, crm.theportugalnews.com, betevé.
