According to Gala Pin, a representative of the district authorities of the Old City of Barcelona (Ciutat Vella), the government, under the leadership of Ada Colau, will introduce a plan called the “Plan de Usos,” with the purpose of eliminating problems in this neighborhood. This initiative will have “an impact on every street and on every house” in the neighborhood.
As the specially conducted investigation demonstrates, due to their old age and specific construction features, many buildings in Ciutat Vella have poor sound insulation and thin walls. Moreover, the streets in this district tend to be elongated and narrow, creating a higher resonance for any and all noises. As Señora Pin explained during the press conference, these particular features result in numerous inconveniences for the neighbors that are caused or exacerbated by the owners of the buildings. The new plan, on the other hand, is intended to ensure silence at night.
Within the framework of this plan, “special acoustic zones of every building” will be designated. The license for conducting noisy work will not be permitted to be transferred to another space, as earlier licenses allowed. This aspect of the prior plan triggered the emergence of a “black market” for such licenses and impeded small companies from accessing them.
Implementation of the measures foreseen by this plan will begin in a test mode in September. It is expected that they will take full effect by the end of the year.