Dozens of properties in Lleida and hundreds in Catalonia as a whole may be able to be used for habitual residential use, artisan workshops, or professional offices on rural land if they are included in a municipal rural inventory. Municipalities have begun to locate these buildings after the publication, on the 6th, of the decree-law of urgent measures in the urban planning and contracting fields in rural municipalities.
The move comes in a territory where the housing shortage coexists with a stock of underutilized properties. In Lleida, 80% of municipalities have fewer than 2,000 inhabitants, a context that has led mayors to seek formulas to curb depopulation and increase residential supply without opening new urban developments.
The decree allows for the activation of rural properties for housing, workshops, and offices
The new tool, known as the rural POUM, opens the door for constructions located on rural land to change their use when they are part of that municipal inventory. The provision affects dozens of properties in the Lleida demarcation and hundreds in Catalonia.
In addition to use as a primary residence, the text also contemplates that these properties can be used for artisan workshops or professional offices. The objective is to expand options for rooting in small municipalities and to provide an outlet for buildings that currently do not have a stable housing function.
Jaume Gilabert, mayor of Montgai and spokesperson for Eines de Repoblament Rural, identified the parliamentary calendar as the main obstacle.
"First, the rule must be validated" - Jaume Gilabert, mayor of Montgai and spokesperson for Eines de Repoblament Rural
Gilabert recalled that the decree is in the amendment process and could end up being processed as a bill in the Parliament, an option that would extend its application. Meanwhile, several mayors have already begun to identify buildings with the potential to address the housing shortage.
Aid starts tomorrow with 5 million for 590 municipalities
The rollout of the rule coincides with a new call for rural rehabilitation. Starting tomorrow, the Agència de l'Habitatge de Catalunya will open the period for requesting subsidies for rural populations.
The program has a budget of 5 million euros for 590 municipalities in Catalonia. The aid will prioritize the rehabilitation of homes that have been vacant for the last two years, both for personal use and for rent.
They will also be able to finance the transformation of disused public buildings into affordable rental housing for vulnerable groups. This line is added to other instruments provided for in the decree to accelerate actions in rural municipalities.
These measures include the creation of an Incasòl Rural to promote investments, the simplification of urban planning procedures with simplified environmental assessment, the joint tendering of projects, and the use of public companies such as l'Energètica or Infraestructures.cat.
The call managed by the Agència de l'Habitatge de Catalunya will begin to be admitted from tomorrow and will reserve priority for vacant housing for the last two years and for public buildings that can be converted into affordable rentals.