Madrid City Council Approves Méndez Álvaro Transformation Project After Legal Dispute
Madrid, April 29 – The Madrid City Council has officially approved the Nuevo Sur-Méndez Álvaro urban project on Wednesday, marking a significant step in the urban regeneration of the area. This initiative will see the former site of El Corte Inglés in Méndez Álvaro converted into a complex featuring new offices, public facilities, and extensive green spaces. The approval concludes a long-standing legal battle that mandated the demolition of the previous commercial building due to exceeding permitted building limits.
Background to the Transformation
The urban transformation follows a 2019 Supreme Court ruling that deemed several El Corte Inglés centers in Madrid, including the one in Méndez Álvaro, to have been constructed with more square meters than legally allowed. This ruling necessitated the closure and subsequent demolition of the complex, paving the way for a comprehensive reorganization of the site. The current plan, approved in a municipal plenary session, is the culmination of a process that began in 2023 with a modification to the General Urban Planning Plan (PGOU), which already anticipated the demolition and reallocation of the parcel.
Division of the Land and Future Use
The approximately 11,800 square meter site will be divided into two distinct parcels. The larger parcel, spanning about 8,500 square meters, will be transferred to the City Council. This area is designated for public facilities and a substantial green zone. The remaining 3,300 square meters will remain privately owned, earmarked for tertiary use, allowing El Corte Inglés to construct office buildings up to 27 stories high, as outlined in Mayor Almeida’s plan.
Sustainable Mobility Hub and Urban Park
A central feature of the project involves the demolition of the former underground parking lot of the commercial center. In its place, the Municipal Transport Company of Madrid (EMT) will establish a sustainable mobility center. This hub will serve as an operational base for Bicimad, Madrid’s public bicycle system, and will centralize various urban mobility services. The underground complex is designed to manage up to 9,000 electric bicycles, alongside providing rotational parking, municipal tow truck services, and an electric mobility hub.
Additionally, the development includes the creation of an urban park on the southwestern edge of the municipal parcel, with an estimated municipal investment of three million euros. The City Council asserts that this green space will enhance pedestrian connectivity between Kentia and Retama streets and contribute to the ‘renaturalization’ of the entire area through the integration of native plant species.
Criticism from Opposition Parties
The operation has not been without its detractors. The Más Madrid party has consistently opposed the project, arguing that it prioritizes private office development over community needs. José Luis Nieto, councilor and urban planning spokesperson for Más Madrid, stated, “We already opposed the modification of the general plan that makes this new step, voted on today in the plenary session, possible – the approval of the urban agreement. We have always opposed it because it is a tailor-made suit for El Corte Inglés.” Nieto further elaborated that the 2019 Supreme Court ruling forced the partial demolition of the commercial center due to excessive building, similar to a case in Campo de las Naciones. He suggests that since the Méndez Álvaro center was no longer of interest to El Corte Inglés, an agreement was reached with Almeida’s administration to demolish the center, cede a significant portion of the land to the City Council for public development, and construct an office tower, which would be more lucrative for the company. “In short, a perfect deal for El Corte Inglés thanks to the tailor-made suit crafted by Almeida,” Nieto concluded.
Antonio Giraldo, councilor and urban planning spokesperson for the Socialist Municipal Group, echoed these criticisms, denouncing the action as a “tailor-made urban operation” for El Corte Inglés’s interests. Giraldo argued that the project was initially justified by a supposed need for basic district amenities but has since deviated from its stated purpose. “There was talk of facilities like libraries or cultural centers, and now a mobility center for the EMT is being proposed, which does not address that need. This corroborates what we always said: the City Council had no need for facilities here,” he stated, questioning the public interest of the intervention.
Implementation Timeline
The agreement stipulates that El Corte Inglés will undertake the demolition of the old commercial center within 18 to 24 months. Subsequently, both the works on the municipal parcel – including the park, the public building, and the mobility center – and the private office development will be executed in a coordinated manner, ensuring homogeneous design criteria and continuity in public spaces. Through this action, the City Council aims to solidify Méndez Álvaro as a strategic hub that integrates economic activity, sustainable mobility, and new green areas.
Source: El País
