Up to 27 municipalities in Lleida have received offers from Sareb to take over plots that passed into the entity's hands after the real estate crisis. Most city councils have accepted or are studying accepting these lands to promote affordable housing and, in other cases, facilities such as green areas or parking lots.
The operation has already taken recent steps in regions of the Pyrenees and the plain. La Pobla de Segur and Vilaller have received this month the transfer of land to build affordable housing. In both cases, the plots came from the Sociedad de Gestión de Activos Procedentes de la Reestructuración Bancaria, which has since 2022 the mandate to transfer these properties to public entities to develop housing policies.
Transfers without cost and sales with strong discounts
Many of these plots have been delivered without cost for the city councils. In the rest of the cases, the proposed formula involves the sale with very high discounts. The entity has transferred this possibility to another 25 Lleida municipalities, with the idea of facilitating land for apartments or for other municipal uses.
Among those alternative destinations are green areas or parking lots, depending on the location and the needs of each municipality. The answer, in several cases, is still in a study phase or administrative processing.
Alcarràs processes five plots
Alcarràs is processing the acceptance of five plots. The deputy mayor, Gerard Companys, has confirmed that the council is now working on that file. Two of the plots could be allocated for housing due to their good location.
"As it is not currently a priority, we will seek the consensus of all municipal groups to manage it" - Gerard Companys, deputy mayor of Alcarràs
The municipal forecast involves evaluating the fit of each plot before deciding its definitive use. The council does not currently place it among its most urgent actions, although it keeps open the residential option in part of those lands.
Movements in Urgell and a plot in Vilagrassa
In Vilagrassa, Sareb has recently donated to the city council a plot of 1,583 m2 located at the entrance of the town. The city council intends to accept the proposal and has until September to resolve it, awaiting whether it might interest a developer or to promote a change of zoning to build a residence.
In the Urgell region, Tàrrega, Tornabous and Bellpuig have also received offers. In Tàrrega, the city council is studying it. In Tornabous, the idea that is proposed in case of accepting is to enable a parking lot for 10 vehicles.
Balaguer and Bellcaire d"Urgell study the future of their properties
In Noguera, Balaguer has received two other plots and will analyze what use it gives them. Bellcaire d"Urgell, for its part, has obtained the transfer of the old Civil Guard barracks, a property whose future will be decided once the change of ownership is completed.
"When it is in the name of the city council, the best option will be sought to recover the building" - Llorenç Llop, mayor of Bellcaire d"Urgell
Llop has also specified that the use of the old barracks will be linked to housing. With this process open in different points of the demarcation, the city councils of Lleida are outlining new land banks and buildings with the view set on expanding residential park or gaining spaces for municipal services.