Eixample Council Approves Business Licenses, Green Streets, Visitor Plans

The Barcelona City Council approved a one-year suspension of new business licenses for restaurants, bars, musical entertainment and food trade in pacified Eixample streets including Consell de Cent, Rocafort, Borrell and Granados. This step, alongside a new special use plan and the Superilla Barcelona project, directly shapes how residents experience daily commerce, movement and services in the district.

License suspension and density rules

The suspension aims to protect local commerce and prevent gentrification along the listed streets. The accompanying special use plan limits commercial density to a maximum of five premises within 50 meters and 18 within 100 meters while restricting audiovisual activities to streets wider than 25 meters. Residents on narrower blocks therefore face fewer new competing outlets, which can support existing neighbourhood shops and reduce pressure on pavements during peak hours.

Superilla transformations and service changes

The Superilla Barcelona project converts Eixample into 21 green streets and 21 new squares covering 3.9 hectares, with work on the first four axes around Consell de Cent beginning in June to create pedestrian-first hubs. A new headquarters for the Service for Attention, Recovery and Reception for gender-based violence opens on Muntaner Street before summer, addressing high cases of sexist violence in the district. These changes alter traffic patterns and service access points that residents use daily.

The Eixample District also submitted the initial version of the Sagrada Familia Massive Attraction Action Plan to the Ward Council to manage visitor flows, de-clutter pavements and promote neighbourhood businesses around the cathedral. This plan responds to existing congestion around one of the district's busiest sites and seeks to keep local trade visible amid tourist traffic.

Practical effects on daily routines

For people living near Consell de Cent or Rocafort, the license pause and density caps mean fewer new bars or entertainment venues opening immediately, preserving space for established food traders and quieter evenings. Pedestrian improvements from the Superilla axes starting in June will gradually shift car access, affecting commute times and street-level interactions. The Muntaner Street facility provides a closer point of support for those affected by gender-based violence without requiring travel outside the district.

Next steps rest with implementation of the approved suspension, ongoing Superilla works and further review of the Sagrada Familia plan by the Ward Council. Residents can monitor updates through official district channels for any adjustments to street access or new service locations.