The redevelopment of Plaça de les Cols, a key issue in the 2023 electoral campaign, could become a reality before the Patum festival. The September plenary session of the Berga City Council has approved the expropriation of a property on Carrer del Balç, an essential step for demolishing the garages.
The Councilor for Urbanism, Aleix Serra, explained that property number 11 on Carrer del Balç is municipally owned, but number 13 is privately owned and also slated for demolition. Its expropriation is the step approved this Thursday. Serra also confirmed that the project is 'very advanced' and is expected to be completed this September, with the aim of putting the works out to tender between the end of the year and early 2027.
The project involves demolishing the garages to substantially increase the square's current area, which will nearly double. Furthermore, it will be completely redeveloped, with changes to the paving and the incorporation of new urban greenery.
Initially, the government allocated 100,000 euros for this project in the summer of 2023, but later realized the cost had soared to 250,000 euros. There is broad consensus in the council regarding the demolition of the garages, as well as the idea of creating social housing in a nearby building, although this latter project is in a much earlier stage and has been stalled for nearly a decade.
In parallel, the urban planning modification to facilitate the consolidation of the Cine Catalunya as a cultural hub and the transformation of the Municipal Market remain pending, issues that also marked the electoral campaign but have not yet seen significant progress.
