The neighbours face the City Council for the change of the benches in Villalonga square

PalmaThe Llotja-Born Neighborhood Association has "categorically" denied any effective participation or consensus with the Palma City Council regarding the project for the restoration of the trees in Llorenç Villalonga square.

In a statement, the entity assures that it has conveyed "on repeated occasions" its position: that the 26 shade trees felled between 2024 and 2025 be replaced by specimens of the same species, with the aim of preserving the historical configuration of the space.

According to the association, these trees have been part of the square for nearly 80 years and constitute a key element both aesthetically and functionally. In this regard, they argue that it is an evergreen species that provides shade all year round and contributes to maintaining "the sobriety and identity" of the square.

Despite these demands, residents complain that the council has not taken them into account. The City Council has argued that the shade trees are not suitable for this location, which has led to the presentation of an alternative project that, according to the entity, "completely deviates" from the residents' proposal.

The association also regrets that its request for more dialogue or to delay the planting of new trees to study more consensual alternatives has not been heeded. "There has been neither effective participation nor consensus," they insist.

The group expresses its displeasure over a decision that it believes directly affects the neighborhood's environment and daily life, and calls for the voice of the residents to be taken into account in urban planning actions of this type.

The controversy over the shade trees in Villalonga square is part of a broader debate about the transformation of public space in Palma and the role of citizen participation in municipal decision-making.