The municipal groups of EH Bildu, PSN, Geroa Bai and Contigo-Zurekin of the Pamplona City Council have agreed to launch a regulatory initiative so that no more licenses for tourist apartments can be granted in the old town area of the city. As explained this Saturday in a joint statement, this agreement, defined as a “preventive urban modification”, aims to “safeguard the residential model of the neighborhood, defend its commercial fabric and promote a sustainable tourist model, in accordance with what is set out in the Urban Agenda 2030.” “The agreement is based on the conviction that the City Council must anticipate the problem that the proliferation of tourist apartments that replace permanent housing can generate the expulsion of the population from the neighborhood,” they say.
In this sense, they point out that currently “there are 186 of these homes in the Old Town, which represents 2.8% of the total housing in this area and more than 55% of the total tourist apartments in the city (337). In just 5 years, 90 have been opened and there are 21 new applications. The document on which this agreement is based warns that “when the proportion of tourist apartments offered has very high values in relation to the supply of permanent housing, this generates tensions, mainly in the rental market, and a substantial increase in housing prices.”
This aspect of controlling “the negative effects that the proliferation of this type of housing has on the real estate market” is integrated into the Municipal Affordable Housing Plan, promoted by the four groups in the December 2023 agreements. It seeks to “minimize the urban impact that can arise from this economic activity, especially on the local real estate market, avoiding, through urban planning, situations like those that occur in other cities.
Thus, they cite “the increase in housing prices, both for sale and for rent, the worsening of the difficulties that the traditional and local trade sector is going through, as well as the loss of the identity of the historic centers.” Likewise, the regulatory change “is aligned with the Urban Agenda 2030, one of whose lines is the promotion of sustainable tourism that generates value and jobs in the city.”
In the same spirit, they emphasize “the defense of the local commercial fabric, threatened by “outsourcing” due to the multiplication of this type of accommodation.” “The commercial uses of the area tend to specialize and adapt to offer services to tourists, which generally leads to an increase in prices, an extension of hours and a lesser offer for the needs of the permanent population,” explain the municipal groups.
The agreement reached specifically supports four amendments to two articles (87 and 88) of the current PEPRI of the Old City. First, point 3 of article 87 is amended to specify that the use of “temporary residence” is tolerated “except for houses, apartments and tourist accommodation regulated by Foral Decree 230/2011 of 26 October or by the regulations that replace it”. This amendment, like the second (point 2 of article 88), also affects the fact that “it is considered a prohibited use” for a residential apartment to be used as tourist accommodation.
The third amendment (point 3 of Article 88) concerns the rental of rooms for tourist purposes. In this regard, it is specified that “the tourist purpose must be annexed to the residential purpose and not the other way around” and that the usable surface area allocated “cannot be greater than 50% of the total usable surface area of the building.” the house.” Usable surface area means both that corresponding to “the room(s)” intended for tourist use, and a proportional part of the rest of the floor “in the same proportion as the number of rooms dedicated to tourist use in relation to the total number of rooms.”
Finally, the fourth amendment (point 15 of article 88) concerns the need to cooperate with the Government of Navarre to “increase controls and prevent this activity outside the regulatory framework”. Thus, houses, apartments and tourist accommodation already in operation will have to “simultaneously meet the requirements of registration in the Tourism Registry of the Government of Navarre and have a license for opening or use”, after the approval of the amendment to the PEPRI.
Approval before the end of the year
The agreement reached between the four forces also includes the roadmap for the debate and approval of this measure. Thus, next Monday, the document on which the agreement is based will be approved by the Local Government Council, a proposal prepared by the Planning Service of the Urban Planning Department of the Pamplona City Council.
Once this procedure is completed, the agreement will be published in the BON and a period of public exhibition will open. After that, the period of allegations will open before the debate of the document within the Urban Planning Commission.
The PEPRI amendment is expected to be approved in plenary before the end of the year. This urban amendment “does not affect other types of tourist accommodation, so hotels, hostels, pensions and inns will continue with the current regulatory framework.”
