The delegate of Housing Policies and president of the Municipal Housing and Land Company (EMVS Madrid), Álvaro González, has visited the comprehensive renovation works that the Madrid Regenera Plan is carrying out in the Villaverde district. This is a comprehensive intervention that covers the surroundings of the CEIP Sagunto, the interblock spaces, and the parking areas on the south and east side of the area.
González emphasized that «this action is a new example of the commitment of the Madrid City Council to urban regeneration to improve the free spaces associated with the existing residential building park, which are a priority within the actions to be carried out in the city of Madrid.»
Pedestrian priority and reform of the school square
The works prioritize pedestrians over cars on the school street of CEIP Sagunto (Paterna street) and provide safety, environmental improvement, and accessible routes. Space will be reclaimed for pedestrians with the expansion of sidewalks, the reduction of road widths, and the raising of pedestrian crossings.
The school square project consists of a unique circular design that accommodates the difference in elevation that exists on Paterna street between the school entrance and the area of the same street that borders the railroad tracks to the east. Inside this circular geometry, gabion walls and paved areas with rubber and sand for children’s play will be arranged. The pavement will be completed with terrazzo, gravel, and cobblestones.
There will be a large central play and stay area crossed by a compacted terrazzo path that ensures universal accessibility. The games will be integrated with urban furniture and planters at different heights. A versatile meeting area will be created, suitable for outdoor events, where the vegetative cover will be improved by adding new shade spaces to the existing trees.
Another quiet area will be generated to the northeast as a versatile meeting space equipped with a biosaludable circuit. The dismantling of all urban furniture and its replacement with new furniture more in line with the environment is also considered.
Renaturalization of the interblock spaces
The Madrid Regenera Plan allows the City Council to act on interblock spaces, which represent more than a third of the residential city, ensuring they no longer remain forgotten areas. The solutions implemented in this intervention incorporate nature as the backbone of the project. Dozens of trees will be planted along with a diverse vegetative stratum that will combine aromatic, shrubby, horticultural, herbaceous, and flowering plants.
The delegate of Housing Policies stated that «the renovation of degraded spaces plays a fundamental role in housing policies to provide quality to the environment that neighbors live in and enjoy, thus enhancing their quality of life.»
The project will be carried out in Villaverde on a total area of 10,745 m2 and with an investment of nearly 2 million euros, of which almost 900,000 euros will be allocated to the regeneration of the school street in Paterna and the improvement of adjacent streets and interblock spaces, and more than 1.1 million to the renovation and improvement of the school square, playground, and interblock spaces.
The Madrid Regenera Plan
Through the Madrid Regenera Plan, the City Council will act on the city built before 1985 and in an area of more than 85 km², benefiting
75% of the population, nearly 2.6 million inhabitants. This plan will redefine the model of a healthy neighborhood based on three principles: cohesive and inclusive neighborhoods, accessible and safe, and green and sustainable.
The works will begin in 14 districts: Moratalaz, Villaverde, Villa de Vallecas, Puente de Vallecas, Fuencarral-El Pardo, Latina, Carabanchel, Usera, Ciudad Lineal, Hortaleza, Vicálvaro, San Blas-Canillejas, Moncloa, and Tetuán. In subsequent phases, the plan will reach the rest of the districts until completing the 21 in the capital. /
