The Urban Planning Management will approve the construction of the Islamic Cultural Centre amidst Vox's opposition and weeks of political tension.
The Executive Commission of the Urban Planning Management of Seville City Council is set to grant the construction license for the Islamic Cultural Centre, which will house a mosque in Polígono Sur, this Tuesday. The project, promoted by the Mosque Foundation of Seville, will be built on private land and funded privately, a key factor that has influenced the favourable decision of municipal technicians.
The approval comes after weeks of intense political and social debate. Vox, a government partner of the PP in the City Council, has strongly opposed the project and has already announced that it will vote against it in the commission, although its representation is not sufficient to block the decision. The green party has even threatened to take the case to court if it believes the license violates urban planning legality.
The municipal spokesperson for Vox, Gonzalo García de Polavieja, warned last Friday that it would be "almost impossible" for his group to maintain an agreement with a government that rolls out the red carpet for a mosque. However, sources from the group clarified that they would only appeal if a judge determined that the project breaches regulations.
For his part, the Urban Planning delegate, Juan de la Rosa, described García de Polavieja's statements as "brutal mental straw" and defended the granting of the license: "If I were to prioritise those ideologies over this construction license, it would be me who is committing a crime." De la Rosa insisted that "ideologies are not above legality."
The project has generated significant community mobilization. Last Tuesday, dozens of people gathered in front of the plot where the mosque will be built, called by Vox and with the presence of the far-right group Núcleo Nacional. As a gesture of protest, some participants placed ham legs on the fence surrounding the site.
The controversy has been one of the biggest hurdles in the relationship between the PP and Vox, who govern together in the Seville City Council. Although they have had disagreements on other issues, such as the Christmas Plan, it was thanks to Vox's support that Mayor José Luis Sanz was able to pass the 2026 Budgets.
Initially, the City Council removed the item regarding the license from the Executive Commission's agenda after Vox requested additional technical and legal reports. Those reports have confirmed that the project "complies with current urban planning regulations" and that "the use is compatible with the classification of the plot," ruling out the need for an additional citizen participation procedure.
With the license in hand, the Mosque Foundation of Seville can begin construction. The Islamic cultural centre thus joins other similar projects in the city, although this one differs from the mosque planned in Los Bermejales as it involves private land and funds.
From Vox, consulted sources indicate that "the next step will be known after the Urban Planning Commission" and do not rule out taking legal action if the license does not comply with the law. For now, the party has collected signatures against the project and maintains its outright rejection.
Mayor Sanz, for his part, has reiterated that his government acts in accordance with the law and will not allow "ideologies" to interfere in technical decisions. The granting of the license is scheduled for the Executive Commission session this Tuesday.
You may also like
