A long-standing conflict in Badalona has reached a critical breaking point. Students and staff at a local secondary school face severe health and safety risks from a derelict industrial site next door. The public school and high school La Llauna, situated on Calle Sagunt in the Progrés neighbourhood, is currently battling infestations and structural damage caused by a neighbouring Badalona abandoned warehouse.
The educational centre shares a wall with the former Eines Canela factory, a municipal building neglected for between 15 and 20 years. According to reports from the Families’ Association (AFA), hundreds of students now coexist with rats, pigeons, broken glass, and pervasive dampness. This dampness is damaging school property.
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Badalona Abandoned Warehouse Creates a ‘Limit Situation’
Families have described the conditions as a “limit situation”. The abandoned site has become a hazardous focal point for infection. Meanwhile, the structural decay of the factory has led to significant water ingress into the school. Recently, a photocopier in the concierge’s office was destroyed by water leaking through the shared infrastructure.
“There are strong odours, pigeon droppings, the ceiling is falling apart and full of holes… it is a potential risk for our students,” representatives from the AFA stated. In addition, the nearby Josep Carner primary school has also reported safety concerns. They note that the lack of sanitation poses a particular threat to their younger pupils.
Political Response to the Badalona Abandoned Warehouse Crisis
The crisis took centre stage at the municipal plenary session on 19 January. This followed recent protests by Barcelona education workers, families, students, and neighbourhood entities in the Plaça de la Vila. A motion to rehabilitate the old factory received support from opposition parties including ERC, Guanyem Badalona, and the PSC.
The local government, led by Mayor Xavier García Albiol, has committed to resolving the issue. Therefore, a meeting with the affected parties is scheduled for late February to determine a remedy. Just days prior to the plenary, the local Councillor for Education visited the site to inspect the damage and arrange for the removal of broken glass. The AFA welcomed this move, though they noted the executive’s reaction was overdue.
Decades of Failed Projects for the Badalona Abandoned Warehouse
The Badalona abandoned warehouse has been the subject of numerous failed administrative plans over the last decade. In 2016, a proposal to rehabilitate the space for the Geganters de Badalona—valued at €400,000—failed to materialise under the previous administration.
More recently, in September 2024, a motion was approved to convert the site into the headquarters for the Castellers de Badalona, Els Micacos. However, despite political commitments, the project was never executed. Following another year of inaction and worsening conditions, the school management issued further reports in late 2025. These reports demanded urgent sanitation rather than long-term promises.
While the City Council had previously pointed to long-term redevelopment plans, the immediate health risks have forced a shift in priority. Consequently, the focus is now on urgent rehabilitation to ensure the safety of the La Llauna school community.
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