Building of new petrol stations regulated to improve air quality

The Full Council has definitively approved part of the plan to regulate the opening of new establishments supplying fuel in the city. The goal is to set out the conditions for the implementation and urban integration of this type of activity so that environmental quality is improved, and negative effects and inconvenience reduced in certain areas.

26/06/2020 17:32 h

Ajuntament de Barcelona

The plan determines that new petrol stations can only be built around the highways making up the basic road network, the ring roads and the Nus de la Trinitat intersection, provided they are at least 250 metres from the road. This applies in the port area and in the industrial areas of the Zona Franca, La Verneda industrial estate, El Torrent d’Estadella and Bon Pastor. In the rest of the city, the 105 existing fuel sales points are considered to be sufficient.

New petrol stations will only be allowed in buildings which are exclusively for this activity. An analysis will also be requested on the internal distribution of facilities and their relationship with the sites opposite them, as well as other aspects relating to colour schemes, party walls, fencing, publicity and signage.

The maximum surface area will be 3,000 square metres for new buildings, which should have no more than two floors be no higher than 9 metres. The height of overhead canopies from the pavement should be at least 7 metres. Finally, commercial uses linked to the main activity will be limited to premises under 100 square metres and no permission will be granted for bar or restaurant services.

New buildings around the road network must be located along structural roads making up the basic network. Street sections providing access to the facilities must be at least 20 metres wide. Technical projects will also need to be presented which resolve the various problems of accessibility and mobility in the surrounding area.

Petrol stations must be at least 100 metres from various other types of activities with protected uses: educational centres and municipal nurseries, medical centres and accommodation for children, teenagers and the elderly.

In terms of listed heritage, no new petrol stations will be allowed on sites with grade A or B protected buildings nor on adjacent sites. Neither will they be allowed on sites opposite, where roads are equal to or inferior to 20 metres in width.

Under no circumstances will new petrol stations be allowed in the following areas:

  • Old quarters: large areas of Ciutat Vella and the network of streets making up the old municipalities added to the city at the end of the 19th century and early in the 20th century.
  • The Parc Natural de la Serra de Collserola and the Parc de Montjuïc.
  • All sites classified for use as public facilities or public highways.
  • Areas with isolated family or multi-family buildings, and those in conservation areas within the urban structure.

This regulation responds to structural changes in the city relating to mobility. Because of this, the issue of permits for new petrol stations and extensions to existing ones was suspended for a year. The special plan was initially approved in 2019 and part of it has now been definitively approved. The remainder will be addressed later and refers to the implementation or building of electricity recharging points.

 

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