The Plenary of Montcada i Reixac has given the green light to the advance of the modification of the Metropolitan General Plan and the border plan to reconcile the protection of the Pla de Reixac with sustainable urban growth.
The Plenary of the Montcada i Reixac City Council approved this Thursday, July 23, the advance of the modification of the Metropolitan General Plan (PGM) and the border plan for the Pla de Reixac sector. The initiative aims to preserve this space of high environmental, landscape and social value, while allowing for orderly and sustainable urban development in the municipality.
The president of the Territorial and Mobility Area, Andreu Iruela, defended the proposal as a “third way” that overcomes the historical dilemma between building on the territory or halting growth. “For the first time we are able to harmonise two needs that until now seemed incompatible,” he stated during the plenary session.
Iruela acknowledged the pressure of housing demand in Montcada i Reixac: “It is becoming increasingly difficult to secure a decent and affordable home; as a responsible city council, we cannot turn our backs on this reality.” The border plan is an urban planning tool that organises the transition areas between the urban fabric and natural spaces, aiming to improve connectivity and create higher quality boundaries.
The modification of the PGM proposes to act in currently residual or degraded transition areas to convert them into public spaces, green zones, new housing and better pedestrian and cycling connections. The aim is to strengthen the relationship between the city and the Pla de Reixac without occupying new agricultural or natural land.
The Pla de Reixac still maintains the reserve for the Strategic Residential Area (ARE) of Mas Duran, a project from 2009 that planned for 2,130 homes on agricultural land, of which 1,080 would be protected. The new planning reorganises these reserves of protected housing “placing them where it makes sense, completing existing neighbourhoods and regenerating areas, without occupying agricultural land,” according to Iruela, with the aim of building a more cohesive city.
With the approval of the advance, a one-month public information period opens for citizens to present suggestions and contributions. At the same time, the strategic environmental assessment procedure begins, necessary to ensure that future planning incorporates sustainability criteria.
The Pla de Reixac is a green corridor of 450 hectares that extends between Montcada i Reixac, Ripollet, Santa Perpètua de Mogoda and La Llagosta. It is one of the most important dryland agricultural areas in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona and the Vallès, and is part of the biological connector that links the Prelitoral and Litoral mountain ranges.
For the residents of Montcada i Reixac, the plan represents a balance between the need for housing and the preservation of the natural environment. Over the next month, they will be able to participate in the public information process to learn the details and make contributions before the final approval.
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