The PP rules out building in the transition areas in Palma and stops Vox: "To say that there will be more housing tomorrow is untrue."

The Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Urban Planning, Housing, and Strategic Projects of Palma City Council, Óscar Fidalgo, predicted that it is "unlikely" that any construction will take place in the city's transition zones while he is in charge of the department. The councillor thus questioned Vox's proposal to accelerate the urbanization of these lands and their criticisms of the regional government on this matter. "Anyone who claims, with any kind of rhetoric, to guarantee housing tomorrow in any city in Spain is lying because housing requires planning and has construction timelines. The City Council begins by explaining the truth to the people and presenting its plans," he stated. In the press conference following the Urban Planning Department meeting, he announced that the People's Party (PP) will vote against Vox's motion along these lines, "unless they provide an extraordinary and compelling argument." Fidalgo emphasized that regional legislation regarding these transition zones stipulates that developable land must first be exhausted or a report must be submitted justifying why it is not being developed. The councilor also pointed out that Palma City Council is focused on building 15,000 new homes on developable land and that "more than half" of them will be price-controlled or officially protected housing. He also stressed the aim to begin construction on the first 166 promised price-controlled homes and to bid, "as soon as possible," on another package of 807 homes on land designated for public facilities. "The same criteria"

Fidalgo emphasized that the City Council has maintained "the same criteria" and, in his view, Vox has "changed its mind" by wanting to move forward with the development of the transition areas, and it should be them who explain their reasons. "Everyone is free to say what they want to people and create expectations, but the law says what it says, and even if I wanted to, which I don't, there is a legal requirement that obliges development on developable land," he insisted. He also stated that the City Council is working on Strategic Residential Projects, with more than 60% of the properties designated for affordable housing and social housing. "Everything else is just smoke and mirrors. The election campaign has been in Aragon recently, and before that it was in Extremadura, so it seems some are already campaigning. The City Council is managing the reality and trying to improve it," he stressed.

Urban Development Collaboration Entity

Furthermore, the Urban Planning Department granted the city's first building permit on Tuesday with the involvement of an Urban Development Collaboration Entity (ECU), significantly reducing waiting times. As Fidalgo emphasized, "This is an important step in the modernization and streamlining process of administration, aimed at shortening deadlines and providing better service to the public."

The implementation of this role is possible thanks to the Administrative Simplification Law approved by the Government of the Balearic Islands, which empowers municipalities to incorporate this collaborative tool. "In accordance with this regulatory framework and consistent with our municipal commitment to streamlining procedures, the Palma City Council has been able to take this step," the councilor stated.

"In accordance with this regulatory framework and consistent with our municipal commitment to streamlining procedures, Palma City Council has been able to take this step," the councilor stated. The license granted is for a new construction project and was processed in approximately one month, although the current average processing time for building permits is between 9 and 12 months, once the documentation is complete.