Bosques de Santander project reduces housing impact in Rucandial

The Bosques de Santander urban project has seen a reduction in the number of homes affected in the Rucandial neighborhood. Following a meeting between Cantabria President María José Sáenz de Buruaga and local residents, a new delimitation of the Special Plan of Regional Interest (PSIR) has reduced the number of affected dwellings from an initial 29 to 6. The President has requested the developer, Real de Piasca, to implement this new boundary to protect the main core of the neighborhood.

Despite this reduction, the Association of Neighbors Affected by the PSIR Bosques de Santander is demanding a total halt to the project. During a meeting with Mayor Gema Igual, the association emphasized that reducing the number of affected homes or recalculating plans does not constitute acceptance of the project. They argue that economic compensation or relocation cannot replace the loss of homes and community history.

While the Mayor expressed support and committed to requesting detailed technical plans from the developer, she noted that the PSIR is a legal urban planning figure managed by the Government of Cantabria, leaving the City Council with limited approval powers. The project remains a point of contention, as the regional government maintains its public interest declaration due to the inclusion of approximately 3,200 affordable housing units and other regional developments.