La Massana Caps Population at 25,000 in Revised Sustainable Urban Plan

The Comú of La Massana has closed the preparatory phase of its second revised Pla d’Ordenació i Urbanisme Parroquial (POUP) after presenting the finalized document on Tuesday to its consultative council of around 30 representatives from local quarters, entities, and sectors. The council, which shaped the plan’s core principles during initial meetings—prioritizing curbs on demographic and urban growth, more public spaces, and improved quality of life—guided revisions toward a more sustainable model.

On Monday, the Comú unanimously approved the public exhibition of the POUP, which caps the parish’s maximum population at 25,000 residents, assuming an average of two people per household—a sharp cut from the prior limit of 60,000. Cònsol Major Eva Sansa called the plan “much better adapted to the current context,” reflecting two years of consultations, load capacity studies also approved that day, and a push for organized growth after years of rapid, often unplanned expansion. Mobility emerged as the primary constraint in those studies, with €8 million earmarked for water infrastructure by term’s end.

Urbanizable land, organized into roughly 180 action units, is classified into five categories based on landscape impact, slope, distance from urban centers, and vulnerability:

- Adequate: 800 sqm minimum plot, 0.8 buildability index

- Conditioned: 1,000 sqm minimum, 0.75 index

- Limited: 1,500 sqm minimum, 0.5 index

- Deficient: 2,200 sqm minimum, 0.341 index

- Highly deficient: 3,000 sqm minimum, 0.25 index

Consolidated land retains existing conditions due to acquired rights, while the plan predetermines 15% cession areas for public use, steering clear of unviable spots like rocky outcrops, as supported by Escaldes-Engordany case law. Cònsol Menor Roger Fité noted that development quotas will continue amid a recent dip in project volumes.

The minority group Amb Seny welcomed the roughly 55% buildability reduction as a bulwark against overdevelopment but plans to submit allegations. Councillors Guillem Forné and Laura Bragança criticized the oversized National Heliport at Pla de la Caubella, which sees limited flights, and opposed any nearby bungalows or luxury tourist projects. Sansa clarified that the national-interest site allows only helicopter operations, with the POUP prohibiting tourist accommodations; no concessionaire has requested alterations.

A 60 working-day public consultation period is now open weekdays from 9am to 1pm at Comú offices on the third floor, with technical reviews available by appointment. Provisional approval is expected in October, followed by Technical Urbanism Commission review within a year. No new partial plans can proceed in the interim.

In the same Monday session, the Comú awarded an €888,000 contract, plus a €176,000 credit supplement, for 22-week remodeling from Camí de l’Església to Sant Iscle i Santa Victòria church. Works include winter-durable materials akin to Arinsal’s old town, utility upgrades, and an elevator from Carrer Josep Rossell to Parc de l’Anita for better access to the Esplai centre and Petit Príncep nursery, addressing family feedback. Conseller Kevin Poulet highlighted the user-focused design.

Sansa described soil law rules as inconsistent for blocking development on serviced demanial lands near roads and called for reforms to promote high-mountain aesthetics like dual-pitch roofs, specific stone facades, slabs, and wood, while rejecting flat roofs. A privately funded €170,000 agreement will double the Comes de Banyàs deposit from 200 to 400 cubic metres.