Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

December’s full council meeting approved the update to the Special Urban Plan on Tourist Accommodation (PEUAT), adapting it to the regulatory framework and the current context and ensuring its continuity as a fundamental tool in guaranteeing the right to housing, everyday life and sustainable tourism. The initial proposal was approved in January and has been fine-tuned with input from municipal groups, local people and organisations. Notable changes relate to tourist lets and shared homes.

Shared homes

The text allows for the regulation of home-sharing for profit to be applied later through a municipal by-law making it obligatory to review, and if necessary, amend the PEUAT periodically.

Until the by-law is created, the new PEUAT will maintain the prohibition on renting out rooms to tourists for periods of 31 days or less.

Tourist lets of this type will only be allowed in tourist accommodation which is reconverted to become somebody’s usual abode.

Tourist flats

Specific zone 2 (the urban belt surrounding the city centre) will now be classed as a decreasing zone, the same as specific zone 1 (the city centre). Therefore, if a tourist let (HUT) closes down in zone 2, another one will not be allowed to open in the same zone and can only be added in zone 3, classed as an area of contained growth.

The existing pool of HUT tourist lets withdrawn in different zones in the city will be eliminated. This consisted of 46 HUT lets which could have been reintroduced.

Other changes

• The update does away with the obligation of a 20% reduction in the number of places in major renovation projects.
• The 22@ Nord area becomes a holding zone. The area is considered a strategic zone, with tourist accommodation to be stabilised and a mix of uses promoted. No new tourist accommodation or extra places at existing establishments may be added.
• A new regulation will be created for student halls of residence on land not classified as being for facilities. New accommodation of this type will not be allowed in decreasing or holding zones, except where tourist accommodation or youth hostels are reconverted.
• The possibility of adding new tourist accommodation in streets between 6 and 8 metres wide is eliminated. New establishments must be in streets which are at least 8 metres wide.
• An economic and financial study will be added to the plan, to reflect that placing conditions on the implementation of certain activities, such as operating tourist accommodation, has no significant effect from an economic point of view, taking into account that current planning allows for other uses for properties (residential, commercial, offices etc.), meaning their value does not alter significantly.
• An update of the property census to include tourist accommodation.

Approval by the Full Council

The Full Council gave its final approval for the update to the Special Urban Plan on Tourist Accommodation in its meeting of 23 December. The document was backed with favourable votes from the municipal government and the ERC.