L'Hospitalet de Llobregat council has confirmed Alhambra Park as the chosen site for a new sports centre, ending years of intense debate over its location. This decision comes despite previous strong opposition from some residents in the Santa Eulàlia and Granvia Sud neighbourhoods. The long-awaited facility is a 30-year promise to the community.
The local executive stated its decision followed a full technical and urban planning study. This analysis concluded Alhambra Park is "the only viable option for accessibility, functionality, urban impact, mobility, and economic sustainability." The council believes the park allows the new facility to sit at "a strategic point of District III." This connects with the traditional neighbourhood core and newer residential areas.
Residents of Santa Eulàlia, supported by the local Comuns party, protested against building the sports centre in Alhambra Park just over a year ago. They argue the project will reduce one of the few green spaces available in the densely populated neighbourhood. However, Paco del Río, President of the Granvia Sud Residents' Association, offered an opposing view. He told El Periódico that the sports centre would "only occupy 2,000 square metres of the current 14,000 square metres of the park." Mr del Río added that the project would "allow the use of the 5,200 square metres next to Gasòmetre street." This area had been considered for the facility for many years.
Previous Site Options and Public Consultation
The council's study looked at three possible locations for the sports centre. These included the Gasòmetre area, the former Rosanbus bus depots, and Alhambra Park. A public consultation in November 2019 asked Santa Eulàlia residents to choose between Alhambra Park and the Gasòmetre site. The Gasòmetre option won with over 60% of the votes. However, the initial Gasòmetre project was later reformulated. The planned building reached 17 metres in height. This large size caused significant opposition from residents near the Gasòmetre site. They did not oppose the sports centre itself, but rather the scale of the proposed infrastructure. This left the much-needed facility in limbo.
Renewed Push for Alhambra Park
In September 2024, the AESE sports entity, based in Santa Eulàlia, started a petition. They requested the sports centre be built in Alhambra Park. Soon after, the municipal government expressed openness to re-examining options for the facility. The council now defends the new facility. It will replace current sports installations. These have become "obsolete and present significant limitations both in their dimensions and their location inside a residential block." The project proposes an integral plan. This plan combines facilities, public space, and green infrastructure.
Integrating Green Space and Modern Design
The new sports centre will integrate into its surroundings with a specific architectural proposal. This design will reduce visual impact and preserve the continuity of the open space. Part of the facilities will sit underground beneath the park. This allows the sports facility to coexist with new communal areas, green pathways, and public use spaces. According to council data, the project will increase the effective green surface area of Santa Eulàlia and Granvia Sud by almost 9,000 square metres. This increase will come from several complementary actions. These include transforming the current Gasòmetre area into a new green zone. New green spaces will also appear on Alhambra and Aprestadora streets. The area around Francesc Macià square will also see green urbanisation.
Reasons for Rejecting Other Sites
The local government asserts that the report "concludes they present significant limitations that compromise their viability" for the other two studied alternatives. For the Gasòmetre site, the main limitation was the building's required footprint. This would affect part of Santa Eulàlia street to fit a facility of the necessary size. Furthermore, this location creates greater mobility issues. It also presents difficulties for coach access and parking. Its excessive proximity to homes was another concern. The former Rosanbus bus depots faced similar limitations. Additionally, the council does not own these lands. This would force them to incur a high acquisition or expropriation cost. Such a process would considerably extend the project's development timelines.
What Happens Next
The council still needs to define the architectural and urban planning details of the new facility. It plans to do this through an ideas competition. This step will shape the final design and integration of the sports centre within Alhambra Park.
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Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.
