Ordino Councillors Slam Unsustainable Growth, Reject Centralised Urban Planning

Ordino opposition councillor Enric Dolsa criticised recent demographic and urban growth on Thursday, calling it unsustainable and describing a population exceeding 100,000 as "irrational". Speaking after the parish council session, Dolsa said the government could have halted construction earlier to control expansion but chose not to. He urged a national discussion on the country's desired population size, noting annual growth rates of 10-14% in recent years cannot continue.

Dolsa made the remarks amid questions about urban planning and a recent proposal from the Andorran Landowners' Association (APTA) to create a central body for overseeing development. He stressed that urban competences belong to parishes under current qualified law, which would be difficult to change, and affirmed his support for the existing framework.

Ordino's senior councillor, Maria del Mar Coma, echoed opposition to APTA's call for centralisation, pointing to constitutional provisions assigning urban planning to parishes. She highlighted what she saw as inconsistency from the association, which strongly defends Article 100 on property rights—claiming it is not respected—while challenging parish powers enshrined in the same document.

On growth, Coma acknowledged high population increases but defended the need for balance to sustain economic health. She noted challenges in timing restrictions without harming expansion, recalling how past booms were followed by crises like 2007-2008, and said measures now in place, though perhaps late, were better than waiting longer. Housing remains somewhat constrained, she added, but growth has brought benefits.

The session, held during the traditional Sancogesma council, approved routine items including unified rules for parish halls and rooms—covering usage, rental prices, management and cleaning—and initiated public consultation on a future national park between Ordino and Canillo, with technical reports now available via the BOPA, affected parishes and government.

Councillors also updated on a planned socio-health centre, still in early stages, aiming for tender specifications by year-end or early next year. Coma said Ordino lacks funds for construction and hopes the government will provide land at Casa Rossell in the parish for a private developer to build and manage it, potentially with tax exemptions; in return, the parish would handle maintenance works on the site.