In parallel to the purchase of industrial units, a process will be started to find private operators with projects to support the digital and sustainable transformation and the energy transition of small and medium sized industrial companies in the Besòs area.

The premises to be purchased will be selected taking into account their locations, state of repair and floor space, which should be between 1,500 and 5,000 square metres. They should be ground-floor premises which can be accessed from the street, with preference to be given to the Bon Pastor neighbourhood (Sant Andreu), specifically a series of streets close to the Parc de la Maquinista.

Spanish and international examples

Public-private collaboration for the economic development of urban areas is a model which has contributed to the success of strategic projects in other big cities in the world. The most notable successes are those in Brooklyn Navy Yard (New York), the former Station F (Paris) and the regeneration of the island of Zorrotzaurre (Bilbao).

Future strategy

This initiative, put forward by the ERC municipal group and included in the 2021 budget agreement, is part of the strategy for the future of the Besòs industrial estates. Companies based in these four estates are mainly small companies or micro companies (over 90%) involved in industrial activity or wholesale (75%). By sector, chemical and pharmaceutical companies occupy the largest premises and metallurgy accounts for the most companies.

Barcelona Activa will be starting programmes providing individual support in October, to help with the competitiveness and environmental sustainability of these companies.