As of this week, finding a home with a parking space in Barcelona (and 27 other municipalities) has become a little more difficult. The Generalitat de Catalunya has approved new regulations that will limit the number of parking spaces in both private garages and on public streets.
This new regulation will be based on the public transportation options available in each area to determine the number of parking spaces available. The measure aims to discourage car use, reduce traffic congestion in the city’s most central areas, and lower the cost of building affordable housing.
The regulation marks a turning point for neighborhoods located within Barcelona’s ring roads. Developers will only be required to build a minimum of one parking space for every four apartments, with a maximum of one space per dwelling (or two if the property exceeds 100 square meters). Meanwhile, in areas outside the ring roads with a station less than 800 meters away, the minimum requirement will be one parking space for every two housing units; whereas in the most outlying areas, developers will still be required to provide at least one parking space for every apartment.
However, this regulation applies only to newly constructed homes and buildings. In addition, publicly subsidized housing (VPO) located within the ring roads will no longer be subject to a mandatory minimum quota: such units may be built without private parking spaces and with a maximum of one per apartment.
More space for motorcycles and bicycles and less for cars
As an alternative, new buildings will be required to set aside space for bicycle and scooter parking areas. The regulation also encourages converting some car parking spaces into motorcycle parking spaces.
All of these measures will have a greater impact on new neighborhoods, where, in addition, the public space dedicated to private vehicle parking will be reduced and may even disappear entirely if the street is planned as a pedestrian zone.
