Seville launches a plan to repopulate the old town against mass tourism

Seville City Council presents the Plan Sevilla Centro Vivo, with measures to promote permanent residential housing in the historic centre against tourist rentals.

Seville City Council, led by José Luis Sanz (PP), announced on Tuesday an ambitious plan to reverse the population loss in the historic centre of the Andalusian capital. The Plan Sevilla Centro Vivo, presented during the state of the city debate, aims to promote permanent residential rentals in the old town, currently dominated by tourist apartments. The initiative, which is cross-cutting, will involve the Urban Planning Management, the municipal housing company Emvisesa, the Finance Department, and the Casco Antiguo district.

The plan will be structured through public promotion by Emvisesa, public-private collaboration, surface rights competitions, swaps, and other management formulas to expedite actions. Among the measures, the construction of new housing in areas of the historic centre with urban capacity stands out, as well as the rehabilitation of empty buildings, partially occupied properties, unfinished developments, or vacant homes in complete buildings to incorporate them into the permanent residential market.

A Municipal Map of Residential Opportunities will identify the real possibilities of generating housing in the centre. Additionally, buildings from the municipal real estate heritage, such as unused former administrative offices, commercial premises, patio houses, or facilities, will be allocated to increase the supply of permanent housing. The plan will also promote new forms of residence adapted to demographic evolution, such as cohousing, collaborative and intergenerational housing, supportive accommodations, or residential communities linked to universities, health centres, or cultural institutions.

In the fiscal realm, urban, fiscal, and economic incentives are contemplated to promote permanent housing, protect traditional commerce, and provide more facilities. The mayor has boasted that his management has increased from a budget of 806 million euros in 2023 to the current 985 million, and has highlighted the promotion of 2,200 protected homes by Emvisesa, compared to 83 in the previous term. According to Sanz, 300 keys have already been handed over, with another 600 to be delivered before the year ends.

However, the opposition has harshly criticized the plan. Socialist spokesperson Antonio Muñoz accused the mayor of "self-promotion" and confusing "city with showcase", while Ismael Sánchez from Con Podemos-IU claimed that Sanz has a "black belt in marketing, but fails in management". Vox, for its part, has boasted about the agreements that allowed the approval of the municipal budgets for 2026.

The plan comes in a context of growing concern over the touristification of the centre of Seville, which has lost resident population in recent years. According to data from the INE, the old town has decreased from 70,000 inhabitants in 2000 to about 52,000 today. The City Council expects the first actions of the plan to begin before the end of 2026, with the identification of municipal buildings suitable for conversion.