The Barcelona City Council has presented a specific Neighborhood Plan for the neighborhoods of Marina del Prat Vermell and Marina de Port, in the Sants-Montjuïc district. This initiative calls for an investment of 50 million euros through 2028 to address the transformation of this former industrial zone, where some 30,000 people are expected to live by 2035 thanks to the construction of 12,000 new homes.
Mayor Jaume Collboni explained that the project includes 43 key initiatives to structure the area and connect the neighborhoods of La Marina with one another and with the rest of the city. The main objective of this budget allocation is to prevent inequalities arising from urban growth and ensure that services and mobility evolve at the same pace as the arrival of new residents.
A new civic axis inspired by the Meridiana
The plan’s most notable initiative is the comprehensive renovation of the Zona Franca promenade. The area’s main thoroughfare will move away from its current configuration of five lanes for traffic and parking to adopt a design similar to that of Meridiana Avenue. The new project proposes a central spine with green spaces and bike lanes, relocating public transportation and private vehicles to the sides. This initiative aims to create plazas and gathering spaces that serve as a link between neighborhoods. Improvements in transportation and infrastructure
In the area of mobility, the plan calls for the implementation of the new X3 bus lines and the extension of the V5, with the aim of connecting the Marina with downtown Barcelona before the end of the year. Additionally, plans are underway to draft the project to expand the Ronda Litoral on the section between the Zona Franca and the Port of Barcelona.
New facilities and social revitalization
As for public services, the budgeted investment includes the construction of:
- A municipal preschool (escola bressol).
- A library and a civic center.
- A sports center and a new Primary Care Center (CAP).
Other notable initiatives include the conversion of the Enric Granados school into a high school and the relocation of the Institute of Graphic Arts Design.
Meanwhile, the city council aims to boost economic activity through a business development initiative that will promote socially impactful commerce on the ground floors of municipally owned buildings. This roadmap will be implemented in three phases, with a target completion date of 2035 to definitively consolidate the sector’s transformation.
