Estepona to Allocate Public Equipment Parcels for the Construction of Protected Rental Housing
The Estepona Town Hall initiates procedures to transform municipal land into protected rental housing to meet the growing social demand in the municipality.
Estepona continues to advance the construction of protected housing for the most vulnerable people in the municipality. Through an agreement that will be carried out at the March municipal plenary session, the Town Hall will begin transforming public equipment parcels into land designated for the construction of protected rental housing. This measure is in line with the new Decree-Law 1/2025 of the Andalusian Regional Government.
The Estepona Town Hall has initiated a series of measures aimed at increasing the supply of protected housing in the municipality, an area that remains one of the main concerns of the residents. Specifically, the municipality will begin allocating public equipment parcels, currently classified in the General Urban Planning Plan (PGOU), to the construction of protected rental housing.
This decision is in response to changes in regional legislation, as reflected in Decree-Law 1/2025, dated February 24, by the Andalusian Government. The new regulation allows the use of public land previously reserved for equipment purposes to be transformed into rental housing, as long as the land is not reserved for healthcare or educational uses.
The Impact of Decree-Law 1/2025
The new regional regulation makes it easier for public lands, which were previously unavailable for housing, to be repurposed without the need to modify urban planning documents. Thus, land that does not have a specific use and is classified as being of public or social interest can now be used for the construction of protected rental housing.
"The goal is to address the urgent need for housing in Estepona, especially for the most vulnerable individuals who cannot access the private rental market," said a spokesperson from the Town Hall. The measure, in principle, will not affect lands designated for healthcare or educational uses, ensuring that public infrastructure needs in the municipality are respected.
Inventory of Parcels and Increased Density
As part of this plan, the Town Hall's Technical Services will conduct a detailed inventory of the most suitable municipal parcels for the construction of protected housing. The goal is to assign residential use to these parcels according to the law and the PGOU.
Additionally, the municipality plans to increase the building density on these plots. Under the new legislation, parcels designated for protected housing will be allowed to increase their building density by up to 10%, which will enable the construction of more housing units. Furthermore, the possibility of increasing the density by up to 20% on certain residential municipal plots will also be explored, provided the characteristics of the land allow for it, in order to maximize the number of protected housing units built.
Commitment to Protected Housing
Estepona has been working on the development of protected housing for more than a decade. Since 2011, when the municipality lacked municipal land suitable for the construction of protected housing, the Town Hall has been focused on acquiring land and developing the necessary urban planning to create these properties.
Thanks to this effort, Estepona has already built and delivered 100 protected homes in the Juan Benítez area and continues working in other parts of the municipality, including areas like Camino de Cortes (Atalaya), Arroyo Vaquero, and Guadalobón, with the goal of further expanding the supply of protected housing throughout the town.
Additional Measures
The set of measures to be presented at this month's Plenary Session also includes the possibility of increasing the building density on municipal parcels designated entirely for protected housing construction. This will ensure that the maximum number of housing units possible will be allocated to people with difficulties accessing the housing market.
Estepona’s mayor, José María García Urbano, has stated on several occasions that the Town Hall is committed to responding to the housing needs of its citizens, particularly those who are most in need. In this sense, the transformation of public equipment land into parcels designated for the construction of rental protected housing is an important step in improving housing access in Estepona.
A Continuing Commitment
Estepona's efforts to resolve housing access issues have a history of over a decade. In addition to the 100 homes built in the Juan Benítez area, the local administration continues to promote urban developments in new areas to expand the supply of protected housing. This approach will allow the municipality to continue offering housing solutions to residents, at a time when demand for protected housing is growing.
The decision to allocate public equipment parcels for the construction of protected housing reflects the Estepona Town Hall’s ongoing commitment to improving the living conditions of its citizens. With this measure, in line with the new regional regulations, the municipality is moving forward in its objective of providing housing solutions for the most vulnerable people, while maintaining its momentum to address the increasing demand for protected housing.