Barcelona City Council’s Office of the Metropolitan Urban Development Master Plan
Environmental and climate emergency
Sustainable and safe mobility
Territorial cohesion
Proper housing
The Barcelona Office of the Metropolitan Urban Master Plan (PDUM) was created with the aim of tailoring the PDUM to the city of Barcelona, in order to address the need for information and data to work together on planning, as well as to guarantee cross-cutting work and coherence in the drafting of the PDUM and the Metropolitan Commitment 2030.
Objectives
- To draw up the Barcelona City Council's positioning document within the framework of crafting the PDUM Progress Document currently being drafted by the AMB.
- To initiate internal work in the Barcelona City Council for the construction and systematization of the state of the city: the planned city, the built city and the relationship between the two (unregulated, non-compliant and potential outcomes).
- To open up the possibility of linking the PDUM’s development work (by the AMB) with the work of Barcelona Demà that would lead to the Metropolitan Commitment 2030 (new strategic plan of the PEMB) across the city of Barcelona.
The PDUM was drafted by the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) at the same time as the new Metropolitan Strategic Plan was being created. This fortuitous timing offered a unique opportunity to ensure that both processes shared a joint strategic vision, essential for the future of the metropolitan region.
Thus, the Barcelona Office of the PDUM was created, located within the Barcelona City Council, to provide key information and data that would allow the PDUM to be drawn up with a coherent, cross-cutting perspective. In addition, this office acted as a liaison between the PDUM and the Metropolitan Commitment 2030 (CM2030), to ensure a metropolitan perspective in every task.
Main actions
Between 2018 and 2023, the Office undertook several major actions:
Barcelona Urban Atlas
Statistical and town-planning information was collected and organised with more than 40 socio-economic indicators on open spaces, facilities, land, housing, planning and housing. The atlas worked on this information at the district, neighbourhood, block and city grid scale to create a specific urban planning proposal for Barcelona, called the Barcelona Proposal.
Urban planning proposal
The office drew up a specific proposal for Barcelona, aimed at the Metropolitan Urban Development Plan (POUMet) to replace the General Metropolitan Plan (PGM).
Barcelona in figures document
All data related to open spaces, facilities and housing were compiled and structured and integrated into the PDUM’s initial document. This documentation has also been made available to the City Council and the AMB.
Thematic round table discussions and cross-cutting workshops
The PEMB organised working groups with various municipal departments and cross-cutting workshops to ensure integrated and coherent urban planning.
New phase as of 2023
After the initial approval of the PDUM, the Office started a new phase focusing on:
Updating the urban atlas: Preparing version 6, with detailed information on population, current planning and the city under construction.
PDUM round tables: Six working groups to review and improve the initial approval of the PDUM, including issues such as uses, planning conditions and undeveloped land.
Resource analysis: Study on the current state of green spaces, facilities and other urban systems, including the identification of uses and development possibilities.
Specific studies: Analysis of cultural heritage, urban green spaces and other aspects with an impact on urban planning.
Strategic issues: Reflections on housing, land use, economic activity and urban structures to understand the overall impact of the PDUM on the metropolitan area.
Project continuity
The PDUM Barcelona Office continues to work to adapt the PDUM to the specific needs of the city in order to contribute to sustainable metropolitan urban planning.
