Los Palacios y Villafranca secures €10 million in European funds for modernization

The municipality of Los Palacios y Villafranca has unveiled its Integrated Action Plan, a €10 million investment co-funded by European and local funds. The plan includes a new market square, a municipal museum, and smart city initiatives.

The municipality of Los Palacios y Villafranca, in the Bajo Guadalquivir region of Seville, has announced a landmark investment of €10.1 million to modernize its urban infrastructure and services. The financing comes from €8.9 million in European Union regional development funds (ERDF) and a €1.2 million contribution from the municipal budget, marking the first time the town has secured such a substantial European grant.

Presented at a public event at the Restaurante Casa Moral, the plan was introduced by Mayor Juan Manuel Valle, alongside the Government of Spain's subdelegate in Seville, Francisco Toscano, and representatives from the local development association ADELQUIVIR. Valle emphasized that the funding is the result of a strategic planning process initiated three years ago with the approval of the town's first Urban Agenda, a document created with input from over sixty local associations and unanimously approved by the city council.

“This is the roadmap for the town we wanted to build and the expression of a shared vision for the future,” Valle said. “Today we can say that vision is bearing fruit.” He noted that the Urban Agenda defined 71 strategic projects and was designed as a tool to access funding opportunities, turning objectives into concrete realities.

The Integrated Action Plan (PAI) includes several flagship projects: the construction of a new Plaza de Abastos (market square) with underground parking, designed to revitalize local commerce; the creation of the Museo Municipal Juan Begines to preserve and disseminate the town's historical and cultural heritage; the renaturalization of urban spaces; the replacement of street lighting with LED technology; and the implementation of a Smart City platform to improve municipal management and public services.

“This project does not start tomorrow or in a year. It has already begun,” Valle said. He reported that technical assistance for the plan is underway, participatory processes for the market and museum have been held, and meetings with local businesses are ongoing. Work on energy efficiency and digital transformation is also moving forward, including the installation of awnings and LED streetlights as part of the renaturalization strategy.

The Smart City platform, Valle explained, will allow the town to offer more efficient and user-friendly public services. “We will have new technological tools to help us provide better services to citizens,” he said.

The mayor also highlighted other projects already underway as a result of the Urban Agenda: the update of the General Urban Plan, the development of a Municipal Housing and Land Plan, the promotion of new public housing, and the recovery of 93 public rental units for the municipal housing stock. “Transforming a town is not just about building works or renovating streets. It is also about strengthening what unites us, reinforcing our collective identity, and feeling proud of our town,” Valle added.

The €8.9 million EU grant places Los Palacios y Villafranca among only 60 Andalusian municipalities out of nearly 800 that have succeeded in this competitive bidding process. The plan is scheduled for implementation until 2030, with monitoring by the European Commission. Residents can expect the first visible changes in the coming months, starting with the renovation of public lighting and the launch of participatory workshops for the new market and museum.