The city of Vilafranca is experiencing a wave of simultaneous openings of certain types of establishments, such as large-area gyms, which are setting up even a few meters from each other. This trend follows previous patterns, such as when nail salons or vape shops proliferated.
“"It is the urban planning law, the great problem we have in cities; in this sense, local councils are very defenseless."
Mayor Francisco Romero explains that most commercial activities only require prior communication to open, limiting the Council's ability to intervene, unless a building permit is required. Therefore, the council rules out the use of moratoriums, considering them “bread for today, hunger for tomorrow” because they are temporary and cannot discriminate by business type.
As an alternative to temporary measures, the Council is focusing on a long-term strategy centered on recovering proximity commerce on Carrer Sant Pere. A budget of 300,000 euros has been reserved in the 2026 budget to acquire properties, rehabilitate them, and tender the ground-floor premises with specific requirements for entrepreneurs.
