Mayor José Luis Sanz has presented the 'Sevilla Centro Vivo' plan, a four-year project aimed at repopulating the historic centre with over a thousand affordable rental homes, 14,000 square metres for commerce and facilities, and a budget of 300 million euros.
The City Council of Seville has put forward an ambitious plan to revitalise the Old Town. Under the name 'Sevilla Centro Vivo', the project presented by Mayor José Luis Sanz aims to reverse the population decline in the historic centre and generate an urban ecosystem with more housing, local commerce, and public facilities.
The figures of the plan are striking: it is expected to construct 1,039 new homes, all of which will be designated as affordable rental housing, and create over 14,000 square metres for shops, facilities, and sports or coworking areas. The goal is to attract 3,500 new residents, which would represent a 5% increase in the current census of the Old Town district.
To make this possible, the plan relies on a Residential Opportunities Map that has identified 21 properties and plots owned by the municipality. Of these, ten will be comprehensive projects that will include housing, parking, facilities, and commercial premises. The largest development will be located at the Campamento de San Bernardo, with 235 residences, while other smaller projects will be spread across streets such as San Luis 44, Torneo 31, or Amor de Dios 49-51, where four homes will be established in each.
One of the most emblematic plots is that of the former Surgical Team of the Prado de San Sebastián, demolished in 2008 and unused since then. There, 61 homes will be built. The municipal building on Pajaritos Street will also be rehabilitated, housing 12 residences. In total, the municipal lands will contribute 1,030 homes, while the remaining nine will come from other smaller projects.
The plan is not limited to public promotion. It also includes incentives for private owners to rehabilitate and rent out their homes. Among the measures are tax bonuses, municipal aid for rehabilitation, advice on accessing regional, state, and European grants, and a mediation programme for regular rentals. Additionally, incentives will be offered to those who convert their tourist-use homes into residential rentals.
Small commerce also plays a leading role. The plan includes bonuses on activity licenses and municipal fees, as well as direct aid to promote local commerce. The idea, according to the mayor, is for the centre of Seville to regain its own life and for more Sevillians to be able to say 'I live in the Centre'.
The estimated budget for the plan amounts to 300 million euros, which will be allocated in the municipal budgets starting from 2027. Sanz has sought to distance himself from empty promises and has reminded that Emvisesa has invested over 400 million since 2023 and that more than 7,000 affordable homes are being built in the city during this term. 'This is not smoke, it is backed by facts,' he stated.
All homes will be affordable rentals and will be allocated through the usual draws of Emvisesa. As for the protected buildings that are converted, elements such as façades will be preserved, as explained by the City Council. The plan is conceived with a four-year outlook, although its effects could extend beyond that to change the demographic trend of the centre.
The 'Sevilla Centro Vivo' project is the result of coordination between the Urban Planning Management, Emvisesa, the General Directorate of Heritage, the Tax Agency of Seville, and the Old Town district. Sanz emphasised that this internal collaboration has not always been possible in the City Council, and that now they are working together to realise a plan that seeks to bring life back to the heart of the city.
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