Second approval of the Metropolitan Urban Development Master Plan 

On February 10, the Metropolitan Council gave initial approval for the second time to the Metropolitan Urban Development Master Plan (PDUM), which will define the metropolis of the future. Established by Law 31/2010, of August 3, of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), together with the Metropolitan Urban Planning Plan, it is the instrument that will renew the Metropolitan General Plan (in force since 1976) and the rest of the planning plans of the municipalities in the metropolitan area.

Following the first initial approval on March 21, 2023, the AMB has received, during the public information period, 5,184 allegations and reports (collected in 528 documents) from administrations (Government of Catalonia, metropolitan city councils, and councils of neighboring municipalities), entities, organizations, and individuals.

The magnitude of the modifications has made it necessary for the new document to be initially approved for a second time. The new wording, in agreement with the AMB, is based on four main aspects:

• Enhancing the strategic and flexible character of the PDUM and emphasizing the definition of the process rather than proposing closed and finalistic proposals.
• Reinforcing the clarity and simplicity of the Plan to achieve clear and unambiguous proposals until the drafting of the future Metropolitan Urban Planning Plan.
• Strengthening the legal security of the document and ensuring its processing and fit within the urban and sectoral legislative framework.
• Applying substantial changes to the document, mainly in the PDUM land classification criteria, which have become more flexible, and in the definition of the concepts of Metropolitan Opportunity Areas (AOM) and Open Space Regeneration Areas (AREO).