Elche issues licenses for 40 new housing units in commercial spaces

The Elche City Council has issued licenses for 40 new housing units within two weeks, primarily converting ground-floor commercial spaces into residential properties. These conversions are occurring across various neighborhoods, including El Raval, El Pla, Carrús, and Altabix, as developers and real estate companies seek to meet high housing demand by repurposing vacant commercial premises.

To manage the high volume of urban planning requests, the city has implemented a collaboration agreement with the Toledo Demarcation of the College of Architects of Castilla-La Mancha. Urban Planning Councilor Florentino Delgado reported that this partnership has helped process over 200 files involving more than a thousand different matters, with housing being the primary focus. The agreement, which began in early 2025, was designed to address administrative backlogs caused by staffing shortages and has expanded to include technical reports, occupancy licenses, and public assistance.