The Eixample district council gave the green light to Zara’s expansion plans on Tuesday. Amancio Ortega’s retail giant wants to grow its Placa Catalunya flagship store to 6,500 square metres. The vote passed despite opposition from left-wing parties.
The special urban plan had already received initial approval on 18 September. Now it moves forward after Tuesday’s district vote. PSC, Junts per Barcelona, and PP supported the expansion. Meanwhile, Barcelona en Comu and ERC voted against it.
After public consultation, the project needs provisional approval from the city council plenary at Placa Sant Jaume. That’s the final hurdle before construction can begin.
According to technical documents, the store currently has 3,203 square metres of retail space. However, another section mentions 2,224 square metres. The total constructed area including private annexes is 5,348 square metres.
The expansion would increase retail space to 4,658 square metres. Private annexes would shrink to 1,863 square metres. Total constructed area would reach 6,521 square metres. That’s a significant boost in shopping space.
PSC councillor Marc Martinez explained the expansion goes upward. The store currently uses two floors commercially. It’ll expand to five floors without adding volume to the building itself.
PP councillor Oscar Zayas praised the location. He highlighted Placa Catalunya as an emblematic city zone. For him, having a global retail leader strengthen its Barcelona presence is positive.
ERC councillor Tania Rafi disagreed strongly. She argued the expansion doesn’t meet the district’s needs. Large retail surfaces create uniformity, she said. They work against commercial diversity in Barcelona.
Barcelona en Comu’s Maria del Mar Trallero echoed those concerns. Her party opposed the plan to protect neighbourhood shops. They want to preserve Barcelona’s unique character against mega-stores.
This Zara opened in 2016. It’s already the brand’s largest Barcelona store. Moreover, it ranks amongst Zara’s biggest locations worldwide. Ortega bought the building in 2013 from German fund Deka Immobilien for roughly 80 million euros.
The debate splits along familiar political lines. Right and centre-right parties see economic benefits. Left-wing groups worry about small business survival. That tension plays out across Barcelona’s retail landscape.
Vox doesn’t have representation on the Eixample council. So they couldn’t vote on this particular decision. The final city council vote will include all parties.
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