La Massana Grants Land in Arinsal and Pal for Andorra's First Cooperative Housing

La Massana parish has offered two plots of land in Arinsal and Pal to L’Estaló association, which has now begun feasibility and preliminary studies for Andorra’s first cooperative housing projects.

Work started immediately on assessing the sites’ characteristics and development potential, with economic analyses set to begin this week. Architect Andrea Doncel, from L’Estaló, said the plots match local demand. Urban planning rules in both areas limit buildings to three or four storeys, a scale suited to the interest shown by potential residents.

One site is the existing parking area at Terra Borda in Arinsal, along the Mas de Ribafeta road. The other is a 1,200-square-metre plot recently acquired by the parish in Pal. La Massana is prepared to cede both for cooperative development, addressing its housing pressures through the collective model.

L’Estaló, which launched the initiative this summer and has pitched it to all parishes, now has about 65 household units registered—roughly 170 people. Participants specified preferred parishes, helping guide site selection. Doncel noted that all communes have shown interest, but land scarcity remains a challenge: “Finding spaces is not straightforward because land availability is limited.”

The association continues expanding its interest base while conducting these studies to determine if both projects can proceed. At the concession’s end, the parish could reclaim the land and add the housing to public stock, cutting costs via group efforts.

Meanwhile, L’Estaló has a meeting scheduled this week with Andorra la Vella officials to explore options there, though suitable plots are proving elusive.