L'Hospitalet's Municipal Plenary on Wednesday approved opposition motions demanding guarantees for residents before approval of the Urban Development Plan, known locally as the PDU, for the future Clínic-UB Health Campus.
The plan covers nearly 70 hectares across L'Hospitalet, Barcelona and Esplugues. For residents in the northern neighbourhoods, the motions seek commitments that the campus will provide hospital care locally, while limiting pressure on housing, public facilities and the area around Can Rigal.
According to LHDigital's report on the plenary, eight motions tabled by the municipal groups ERC+EUiA, PP, Vox and L'HECP were approved. ERC+EUiA is a coalition of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, a Catalan pro-independence party, and Esquerra Unida i Alternativa, a left-wing party. PP is the People's Party.
Binding agreement sought before urban plan approval
ERC+EUiA called on the Ajuntament, L'Hospitalet City Council, to secure a binding agreement with the Generalitat, Catalonia's regional government, and the Catalan Health Service before the PDU is approved. The group wants the new hospital to serve as the reference hospital for people living in the north of L'Hospitalet.
“If all this is not guaranteed with a binding agreement, ERC+EUiA will not politically support this PDU.”Jaume Graells, ERC+EUiA spokesperson
The group also asked for assurances that the existing General Hospital will not be lost during any reorganisation of the hospital network. It said the City Council should maintain its request for a General Hospital at Can Rigal if those guarantees are not secured.
The Hospital Clínic Barcelona has described the campus as a future Clínic-UB health project, including a new Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences in Esplugues.
Housing and local facilities raised in the debate
The motions focus on 800 homes proposed within the L'Hospitalet part of the scheme. ERC+EUiA said the homes should instead be used to rehouse people from Samontà affected by neighbourhood “sponging”, a planning process intended to reduce overcrowding by removing or replacing buildings.
PP councillor Lorena Aparicio said 800 homes would be equivalent to about 2,100 additional residents and argued that more land should be reserved for facilities needed by future residents.
“L'H does not need more apartments, it needs services. Eight hundred apartments, equivalent to 2,100 people, would worsen the situation further.”Lorena Aparicio, PP councillor
For residents, the dispute concerns whether the development will bring sufficient healthcare and everyday public facilities alongside new housing. The motions also seek funding to move an electrical substation underground and to restore the Can Rigal farmhouse.
Deputy Mayor José Antonio Alcaide said the current PDU proposal reduces the number of homes included in urban planning approved in 2006. He said seeking guarantees should not prevent projects that benefit the city.
Porta Nord and Can Rigal maintenance motion approved
The plenary also approved an ERC+EUiA motion for urgent action in Porta Nord and around Can Rigal. Graells cited residents' complaints about anti-social behaviour, theft, rubbish, poor maintenance and inadequate lighting.
Deputy Mayor for Urban Quality David Gómez said new service contracts would allow the council to respond more effectively. He added that the square shared by the Porta Nord residential blocks is not municipally owned and requires a maintenance solution.
Reported by lhdigital.cat, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, LHDigital (L'Hospitalet).
