The town hall has given a guarded response to the plan to convert the Pueblo Español | Miquel A. Cañellas

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The plan to convert Palma's Pueblo Español into residential accommodation has been met by a guarded response from the town hall. The deputy mayor for urban planning, Antoni Noguera, says that it will only be possible if it is deemed to be in the "general interest", adding that in "no instance" will there be "a la carte" developments to satisfy private interests. The town hall hasn't as yet, he points out, received any concrete proposal.

Joan Riera, the director-general for the city's planning, explains that any modification to Palma's general urban plan would need to demonstrate that current usage is not viable in order that there can be a change of use in the general public interest. An example of this could be that it is shown that maintenance of the whole complex cannot be guaranteed. Further requirements would relate to any compensation that might have to be paid and to consensus agreement from local residents.

Matthias Kühn of Kühn & Partner, which owns the Pueblo Español, is hopeful of there being town hall permission to convert the complex into luxury accommodation. There would be a maximum of fifty stand-alone residences which would be decorated, assuming there is permission, by internationally renowned designers. Kühn believes that the development is a logical way out of problems that the Pueblo Español poses for local residents, who have complained of noise from events held there.

Last June, Norma Duval, manager of the Pueblo Español (and also Kúhn's wife), met with local resident representatives. They said that the proposal for conversion was indeed the only solution to the problem of noise. The vice-president of the residents' association, Josep Salom, was at that meeting and agrees that there was support. "We would oppose some other type of project, but with luxury properties everyone will benefit, while the configuration of the Pueblo Español would be maintained."

Joan Forteza of the federation of Palma's residents' associations says that if the local residents back the project and if it doesn't alter the idiosyncrasies of the area, then his federation would not have any objection to it.