Next Tuesday, the Urban Planning Management Council will give the green light for the construction of an Islamic cultural centre in Polígono Sur, which includes a mosque. The project, promoted by the Mosque Foundation of Seville, has generated political controversy, with Vox announcing its vote against.
Seville City Council will grant the building licence for the Islamic cultural centre planned in Polígono Sur, which includes a 1,000 square metre mosque. The approval will be formalised at the meeting of the Urban Planning Management Council next Tuesday, July 28, according to municipal sources.
The project, designed by architect Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra, will occupy a plot of over 6,000 square metres. In addition to the prayer space, the complex will house parking, cafés, shops, exhibition rooms, and offices. The planned investment is around 15 million euros, with completion estimated for 2029.
The Mosque Foundation of Seville, the project's promoter, has defended its legality and reminded that the Constitution protects religious freedom. Its president, Ibrahim Hernández, has emphasised that there is no intention to impose a "Muslim priority" in the area, refuting the criticisms made by Vox.
The party of Santiago Abascal, which is part of the minority municipal government alongside the PP, has announced its vote against in the commission. Councillor Javier Navarro has argued that the file lacks legal reports that address the claims made by his party. However, the Urban Planning delegate, Juan de la Rosa, has assured that the technical and legal reports confirm the compatibility of the use with the classification of the plot and that no additional public consultation is required.
"We are dealing with a private promoter acting on private land and complying with urban regulations. Denying the licence would be a breach of legality," declared De la Rosa, who insisted that the granting is a "regulated act" that does not depend on political discretion.
Vox had requested a neighbourhood consultation, but the City Council has dismissed it, considering that there are no urban reasons to justify it. The party's spokesperson, Javier Navarro, has replied that the file does not contain the necessary reports and has called for the withdrawal of the item from the agenda.
The Islamic cultural centre will be located in Polígono Sur, one of the neighbourhoods with the greatest cultural diversity in the Andalusian capital. The Mosque Foundation of Seville has emphasised that the project aims to promote coexistence and provide services to the entire community, regardless of their creed.
The City Council's decision comes after months of processing and political controversy. The PP, which governs in minority with the support of Vox, has chosen to back the technical reports and give the green light to the project. Next Tuesday, the Urban Planning commission will definitively resolve the licence.
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