Seville mayor defends legality of mosque project amid Vox demand for review

Mayor José Luis Sanz said the planned Islamic cultural centre and mosque in Seville's Polígono Sur complies with all legal requirements and that a building licence was applied for less than a year ago. He added that “ideologies are not above the law” and that the project follows normal municipal procedures.

The executive commission of Urbanism is set to examine the file on Friday after Vox submitted a request to redefine the project, arguing that its main use is religious and that this would change the allowable building density. Vox spokesperson Gonzalo García de Polavieja called for a detailed explanation of the project and a citizen participation process, insisting the plan should be modified or halted.

Project promoters, including the Fundación Mezquita de Sevilla, maintain that the development meets legal standards. Designed by architect Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra, the complex will feature a 400‑square‑metre prayer hall, a 30‑metre minaret, and a cultural‑social centre with workshops, co‑working spaces, a café and medical services. The construction is scheduled to begin by the end of 2026 and to be completed within three years. The controversy pits the governing PP‑Vox coalition against the mayor ahead of the upcoming municipal elections.