Residents, tenants, property owners and businesses affected by the L9 construction sinkhole in Sant Gervasi are seeking a compensation agreement with the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Catalan government, by the end of September. The Generalitat has agreed to fund an external expert proposed by those affected to review work carried out on the damaged buildings.

The arrangement is intended to give residents an independent technical assessment before they return to their homes or premises. Carmen Pérez-Pozo, the lawyer representing around two-thirds of those affected, told ACN that the government had changed its approach during recent weeks of negotiations.

“People do not trust them.”Carmen Pérez-Pozo, lawyer for around two-thirds of those affected

Pérez-Pozo said some technicians now advising on measures for the buildings had links to public administrations or companies involved in the works when the sinkhole occurred. Her statement describes residents' concerns; it does not establish a conflict of interest.

Compensation must address different losses

According to Pérez-Pozo, the Generalitat has conveyed a commitment to try to reach a general agreement before the end of September. Any agreement would then need to be applied individually, because the losses differ between owners, tenants and businesses.

She said businesses need clarity on lost income, tenants on rent paid while displaced, and owners on damage to their properties.

“It would be very reassuring for businesses to know their losses will be covered, for tenants to know whether or not they will be reimbursed for the rents they are paying, and for property owners to have their damages compensated.”Carmen Pérez-Pozo

The affected group has also asked for advances already paid to be counted within the final compensation rather than requiring each payment to be justified as a specific expense.

Advance support remains available through joint office

In July, the Generalitat approved advance payments from its contingency fund for individuals and businesses affected around Teodora Lamadrid and Sant Gervasi de Cassoles. The advances have no maximum cap, according to the government measures reported at the time.

  • Individuals can present costs for temporary accommodation, transport, mobility and other daily expenses caused by being unable to live at home.
  • Businesses can access the Institut Català de Finances' Emergències credit line, which covers liquidity needs on preferential terms, including closure days, lost turnover and lost profits.
  • A joint office run by the Generalitat and Barcelona City Council assesses each case and determines advance amounts.

Residents and businesses seeking advance support can submit their displacement-related costs for assessment through the joint Generalitat and Barcelona City Council office. The external expert will be proposed by those affected and paid for by the Generalitat.

Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by apdnoticies.com, beteve.cat, Redacción COPE Barcelona, ACN, ARA, Metrópoli, diaricatalunya.cat, en.ara.cat.