Barcelona residents are due to hear on Monday, 13 July, which neighbourhood project the city wants to put forward for the second round of Catalonia's Pla de Barris i Viles, the regional neighbourhood and town renewal plan. The presentation matters because the scheme is designed to fund physical upgrades, public facilities and social action in areas with greater vulnerability, with City Hall already framing this type of investment as a tool to reduce inequality between districts.

According to Barcelona City Council's press office, Mayor Jaume Collboni will explain the proposal at 10.30am on Monday in the Saló Ciutat at City Hall. The notice does not yet set out the contents of the project, but it confirms that Barcelona is preparing a formal submission for the second call of the Catalan programme.

Why the funding matters for Barcelona neighbourhoods

The Catalan plan backs projects proposed by local councils and focuses on three broad areas: physical transformation of neighbourhoods, the ecological transition, and socio-community action. In the first call, announced by Generalitat president Salvador Illa in Mataró, the programme allocated €412 million across 20 municipalities, with €232.71 million provided by the Generalitat and the rest by councils, according to the details released at the event.

The same announcement said the selected projects would directly benefit about 273,519 residents in the neighbourhoods concerned. Illa also said the Govern, the Catalan government, had received 83 applications and chosen 20 municipalities, among them Barcelona, for that first round.

The plan is aimed at neighbourhood projects centred on physical transformation, ecological transition and socio-community action, according to the Generalitat announcement on the first call.

For local residents, that means the second call could affect which parts of Barcelona get backing for works such as new facilities, public-space upgrades or social programmes, depending on the content of the project the council presents on Monday.

Barcelona has already set out large-scale neighbourhood spending

City Hall has already committed major spending through its own Pla de Barris for 2025 to 2028. When Collboni presented that municipal programme in June 2024, the council said it would allocate €300 million across 27 neighbourhoods in seven districts, reaching 438,000 people, or 26% of Barcelona's population, according to reporting based on the council presentation.

That plan broke down into several lines of spending:

  • €113 million for public space and facilities
  • €35 million for schools and educational projects
  • €32 million for social projects
  • €20 million for housing refurbishment
  • €100 million for complementary actions

The same municipal presentation gave special weight to Ciutat Vella and to the mountain neighbourhoods of Sant Genís dels Agudells, la Teixonera, Montbau and les Planes. Separately, the council presented a Pacte per Ciutat Vella in July 2024 with €228 million earmarked for the district during this council term, including €225 million for investment and €3 million for stronger social and prevention policies.

Monday's event is therefore likely to be closely watched by residents in the areas already identified by the council as priorities, although the official notice does not confirm which district or neighbourhood the new submission covers.

What is confirmed for Monday

The official information currently released by Barcelona City Council confirms:

  • Date: Monday, 13 July
  • Time: 10.30am
  • Place: Saló Ciutat, Barcelona City Council
  • Speaker: Mayor Jaume Collboni
  • Purpose: to explain the project Barcelona is presenting for the second call of the Pla de Barris i Viles de Catalunya

Residents and organisations waiting to see whether their area is included will need to check the council's announcement from the event for the final details of the proposal.

Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat, barcelona.cat, ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Barcelona City Council, Consorci de les Biblioteques de Barcelona. Reported by metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, larazon.es, Meritxell M. Pauné, Judith Cutrona, lavanguardia.com, Europa Press, Alfonso L. Congostrina, Carla Stavraky, cronicaglobal.elespanol.com, en.wikipedia.org, viator.com, irbarcelona.org.