The recent approval in the Ripoll plenary session of a POUM modification paves the way for the installation of a new large supermarket. This commercial area will be located in the old Pla factory zone, a space that traditionally hosts attractions during local festivities and already has a Mercadona for a decade.
The decision was supported by the governing team, formed by Aliança Catalana and Junts, while ERC, the CUP, and the independents from Som-hi opposed it. The PSC, for its part, chose to abstain.
“"The modification responded to the City Council's interest in guaranteeing ownership of the central area of the old factory, and that this will now be free through a land swap."
Mayor Sílvia Orriols defended the measure, arguing that it will allow the City Council to secure ownership of the central area of the old factory through a land swap, without economic cost. This operation is part of a broader project that includes the creation of a new elderly care residence with more places and the reordering of a public use area, which includes a parking zone for motorhomes.
The debate highlighted concerns about the impact on Ripoll's commercial model, which already has large supermarkets such as Esclat, Mercadona, and Lidl, in addition to numerous bazaars. The potential arrival of an Aldi in the Pla area intensifies these concerns. Independent councilor Joaquim Colomer warned that an excess of supermarkets could harm small businesses and the vitality of the town's streets. Orriols countered that, without the land swap, the supermarket could still open in a private space, where even a seven-story building could be constructed, and that supermarkets compete more among themselves than with small shops.
