Marbella is changing: New approved planning blueprint will reshape the city

Marbella has adopted a new urban planning framework, replacing the outdated plan from 1986. This new Plan General de Ordenación Municipal (PGOM) sets the stage for the city's future growth in terms of housing, transportation, infrastructure, and environmental preservation.

The plan significantly increases the urbanized land area, from 40 million to 53 million square meters. Approximately three million square meters of this urban land remains undeveloped, providing space for future residential, commercial, and service developments.

One of the most significant impacts of this new plan is the potential for housing development. A 3 million square meter area in El Alicate, La Víbora, and La Vizcaína can accommodate up to 6,500 new homes. However, the construction of these homes is not immediate, as additional planning, infrastructure, and urbanization work is required.

The new framework also clarifies the status of around 18,000 homes previously affected by planning issues. This provides homeowners and families with a clearer legal path forward, though it does not guarantee that every property will become fully legally compliant.

For residents of Marbella, the most significant change is not a sudden development, but rather the establishment of a long-term plan to guide the city's growth over the next few decades. The detailed implementation of this new model will be determined by a more specific Plan de Ordenación Urbana (POU).