Madrid Court Halts Industrial Construction in Montecarmelo. A Madrid court has immediately suspended construction work on an industrial facility in Montecarmelo. The decision is linked to violations in the project's approval process. Authorities are preparing a possible appeal.
In Madrid, Administrative Court No. 23 has ordered an immediate halt to the construction of an industrial facility — the so-called 'cantón de limpieza' — in the Montecarmelo district. The decision was made following a complaint by the Association of Victims of the Project, which challenged the municipal decree of June 3, 2025 that had approved the technical documentation for the site on Avenida de Montecarmelo.
The judge pointed to potential violations in the administrative process and noted that continuing the work could result in damage that would be difficult to reverse. The morning after the decision was announced, local residents gathered at the construction site to make sure the machinery had stopped and no work was underway. A spokesperson for the initiative group handed a copy of the court decision to municipal police officers, who promised to ensure compliance with the ban on further construction.
Madrid City Hall said it is considering filing an appeal. According to the head of the Urban Planning Department, Borja Carabante, the project was revised in response to residents’ demands: the workshop, salt storage, and waste processing facilities were excluded, leaving only staff areas and storage spaces. However, as the court noted, no official changes to the documentation were recorded, and the previously announced adjustments were not implemented in practice.
The conflict over the facility has been ongoing for several years. In April 2025, another court invalidated a similar project following a lawsuit from the nearby German College. At that time, the court stated that the facility had an industrial character and required a mandatory environmental assessment. Residents accused the authorities of attempting to speed up construction to make the project irreversible before a final decision was made.
Political reaction was sharp. Representatives from PSOE and Más Madrid again accused the city council of violations and demanded that it not appeal the court's decision, as well as relocate the facility elsewhere. The opposition insists that the project lacks the necessary permits and does not take into account the interests of residents or nearby educational institutions.
Despite the court ban, Madrid authorities announced their intention to continue improvements to the park associated with the project, with investments totaling €2.9 million. At the same time, contractor Urbaser was ordered to immediately halt all construction work and ensure the site's safety.
The situation in Montecarmelo became yet another example of ongoing litigation surrounding urban projects in Madrid. As previously reported by russpain.com, court rulings on issues of urban management and funding are becoming increasingly common: in one recent case, the court examined details of funding for a department involving the prime minister's wife.
For reference: a cantón de limpieza is a municipal facility intended for housing cleaning service equipment and personnel. In recent years, such projects have sparked controversy in densely populated residential areas and near educational institutions. The court's decision on Montecarmelo could affect the approval process for similar facilities in other districts of Madrid.
