The rewritten version of the article is as follows:
Mateo: «The lack of affordable housing for residents requires extraordinary measures»
The opposition says it will allow a few to «make a fortune» and announces a challenge of unconstitutionality
The plenary session of the Parliament has validated this Tuesday the decree-law that foresees the unlocking of land for the construction of around 20,000 homes in the municipal area of Palma with the votes of the PP and Vox, amid criticism from left-wing groups.
Decree 3/2025, on urgent actions aimed at obtaining land through the creation of strategic residential projects (PRE), was approved by the Consell de Govern a month ago and has been approved by the autonomous Parliament with 32 votes in favor and 24 against.
In general terms, it contemplates the unlocking of urban and developable land –already planned in the Palma General Plan of 2023– to build around 20,000 homes, half of them under protection schemes, and a reduction of deadlines to between one and a half and two years.
Furthermore, it establishes that 15% of the land use must be surrendered to the Palma City Council to create public housing and allows for an increase in building volumes and densities of the land.
To access these future protected homes, a minimum of five years of residency in the municipality where they are located –currently in Palma– will be required, with 30% reserved for young people under 35 years old.
MORE HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS
The Minister of Housing, Territory, and Mobility, José Luis Mateo, has been in charge of defending an initiative that he considers will «tackle one of the biggest problems we have as a society in the Balearic Islands, the lack of affordable housing for our residents.»
«It is evident that the lack of affordable housing for residents requires extraordinary measures. This is the goal, and it is essential to act. That is what the Government is doing with a shock plan that plans around 5,000 affordable homes. This regulation takes it a step further and continues in the same direction,» he emphasized.
The decree, he argued, is based on the so-called Carbonero law, approved in 2008 by the Pacte. «The problem of land and housing already existed then and has only grown. Prices were rising and have skyrocketed in recent years, with housing being a source of social unrest that requires us to reinforce our commitment, more affordable housing,» he underscored.
Mateo, finally, has urged political forces to «rise to the occasion demanded by an emergency situation.» He also thanked Vox for their willingness to agree on validation and process the regulation –adding amendments– as a bill.
Vox’s parliamentary spokesperson, Manuela Cañadas, has accused the opposition of causing the housing access problem in the Balearic Islands, which she believes is «a consequence of years of interventionism, ideological policies, absurd regulations, and a sick obsession with punishing private property, entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs.» In the archipelago, she argued, the supply «has collapsed,» prices «keep rising,» and «thousands of families have nowhere to live.» «You cannot solve a structural problem with patchy measures and empty announcements,» she said. To address this issue, she argued, housing needs to be built, and for that, it is necessary to «free up land, streamline licenses, reduce taxes, and ensure legal certainty.» Cañadas, however, recalled that her party initially opposed the decree approved by the Government, considering that it «did not respond to general interests but to partisan ones» and did not solve the housing problem, among other reasons, because it was limited to Palma.
PP deputy Mauricio Rovira defended a decree that, he pointed out, adheres to the commitments made by the Government. He also lamented that the left, instead of supporting the initiative, did not make proposals. The PSIB spokesperson, Iago Negueruela, considered the decree «profoundly undemocratic» as it overrides the Palma General Plan of 2023. He explained that the plan envisaged 10,000 social housing units (VPO), and now, by including limited-price units, the amounts that residents will have to pay will be 30% higher. The socialist also regretted that the validated regulation will mean that the public facilities and services planned in the plan will not be built, turning Palma «into a city of luxury and for developers.»
MÉS per Mallorca deputy Ferran Rosa expressed a similar sentiment, lamenting that the «business of a few overrides the lives of the Mallorcans.» «They talk about urgent measures, but do nothing to protect the people,» he noted.
Més per Menorca spokesperson Josep Castells has stated that he will file a challenge of unconstitutionality against the positive silence provision. «When the Constitutional Court says that a building permit cannot be granted by positive silence, we will see what happens with these homes,» he warned. The decree, under the agreement reached between the Government and Vox, as showcased on Monday in a press conference and with the support given by the plenary session, will now begin to be processed as a bill to include the amendments demanded by Santiago Abascal’s party. In broad terms, the planned modifications include the extension of the PREs to the 24 municipalities in the Balearic Islands with more than 10,000 inhabitants, the possibility of developing urban projects in transition areas –which will involve reclassifying rustic land– in the 12 municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants, and the exclusion of individuals convicted of home invasion or squatting from housing assistance. The future law will maintain the obligation that at least half of the homes be either public protection or limited-price housing. 15% of the land use must be surrendered to the respective city councils to facilitate access to housing for State security forces, healthcare workers, teachers, or judicial personnel, among others.OPPOSITION CRITICISMS
BILL PROJECT