Málaga City Council has granted 22 licenses in June to convert old premises into 30 homes, distributed across neighbourhoods such as Bailén-Miraflores and Carretera de Cádiz. This measure comes just before a modification of the PGOU that will tighten the conditions for these changes.
The Municipal Urban Planning Management of Málaga has given the green light in June to 22 change of use licenses that will allow the transformation of old commercial premises and offices into 30 new homes. The authorisations, which will be submitted to the next board of directors, are spread across neighbourhoods such as Bailén-Miraflores, Carretera de Cádiz, Centro, Cruz de Humilladero, Ciudad Jardín, Málaga Este, Palma-Palmilla, Puerto de la Torre, and Teatinos. These are the last licenses granted under the current regulations, before the City Council tightens the conditions.
The last licenses under the current regulations
These licenses represent the last cases resolved under the current urban framework. The future modification of the General Urban Planning Plan (PGOU), initially approved by the Local Government Board and pending publication in the Official Bulletin of the Province (BOP), will introduce stricter restrictions. Among them, changes of use in premises located on main streets and squares will be prohibited, and better conditions for natural lighting, ventilation, and habitability will be required.
The City Council has announced that files already initiated before the new regulations come into effect will be able to continue processing under the previous rules. This means that, in the coming months, more homes from commercial premises could still be added, although the flow will gradually be restricted.
More tourist apartments in the Centre
In addition to the homes, Urban Planning has authorised the transformation of seven homes into tourist apartments in a building on Duende Street, at the corner with Nueva Street, in the historic Centre. A license has also been granted to build a building with eight tourist apartments on Carretería Street. These operations contrast with the City Council's intention to curb the proliferation of tourist accommodations in residential areas.
The municipal government team has announced a suspension of up to three years to prevent new lodging establishments —hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and tourist apartments— in residential areas, unless their public interest is justified. However, already granted licenses will proceed, which has generated criticism among residents and groups denouncing the tourist pressure in the centre.
What changes for residents
For residents of Málaga, this modification of the PGOU represents relief in neighbourhoods where the conversion of premises into homes has caused problems of coexistence and lack of services. In districts like Bailén-Miraflores or Carretera de Cádiz, many of the new homes lacked adequate habitability conditions, according to residents' complaints. With the new requirements, it is expected that future transformations will guarantee a minimum standard of quality.
Moreover, the limitation of tourist apartments in residential areas aims to curb gentrification and the rise in rental prices in the centre. Although already granted licenses will not be affected, the City Council hopes that the measure will reduce pressure on the housing market in the medium term. Residents interested in consulting the files can do so through the Urban Planning Management website.
The publication of the modification of the PGOU in the BOP is expected in the coming weeks, at which point the suspension period will begin. Until then, change of use applications that are already being processed will continue their course. The City Council recommends that owners of commercial premises interested in converting them into homes submit their projects as soon as possible if they wish to adhere to the current regulations.
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