Andorra Confirms New Public Services Building on La Massana's Casa Parramon Plot

The Andorran government has confirmed plans for a new public services building on the Casa Parramon plot in La Massana, acknowledging that specific uses, space allocations, and internal layouts remain undefined and will be determined during the architectural design phase.

Interior and Urban Planning Minister Raül Ferré outlined the project in written responses to questions from Social Democratic general councillor Laia Moliné. He stated that the facility will accommodate various public services and activities currently scattered across inadequate premises, while also enhancing urban connectivity by creating pedestrian links and improving access between the area's lower and upper sections. The building forms part of a collaborative strategy with La Massana council to activate the site and integrate public, educational, and residential areas more effectively.

Ferré described the initiative as a strategic urban transformation effort, with technical teams to be selected via a merit-based tender. These teams will propose optimal distributions, sizes, and functional connections based on an initial functional programme. Administrations evaluated alternatives like reorganising existing spaces but concluded that physical and operational constraints elsewhere made the Casa Parramon plot the best option for centralisation.

The only work completed since 2021 has been the demolition of the dilapidated former structure, which posed a public safety risk and cost €68,743.67. To mitigate risks such as delays or overruns from deferred use definitions, the project will proceed in phases, from preliminary designs to the executive plan. Ferré rejected suggestions that tying the project to programmatic commitments compromises rigorous planning, emphasising identified relocation needs and the competitive process for the best architectural, functional, and economic solution.

Moliné, who represents La Massana, welcomed any investment in the parish but criticised the approach for lacking rigour, transparency, and efficiency. She argued that public resources demand prior definition of needs, services, and building dimensions before advancing construction, warning that essential details like final uses and layouts remain unclear. No specific departments or services have been named for relocation.