Malaga mayor urges faster urban planning and taller buildings to tackle housing crisis

In his speech, De la Torre acknowledged the housing crisis and stated that authorities must not only focus on "how to make use of the land" but also on "how to be agile".

He stressed that an urban development plan "cannot take years to implement" and argued that municipal planning needs to become significantly more dynamic.

Regarding how to provide the city with residential land, De la Torre explained that it is necessary to identify "which new areas can be designated as land fit for development".

He clarified that "there is still a small amount of space left for growth" within city limits, which is why attention has turned to neighbouring municipalities in the wider metropolitan area, including Cártama, Pizarra, Alhaurín de la Torre and Alhaurín el Grande.

However, alongside looking beyond the city, the mayor encouraged developers to build higher within Malaga itself, noting that taller buildings accommodate more residents. He cited the Martiricos towers as a prime example of high-density urban development.

He also highlighted measures the city council had adopted, such as the ban on residential properties being used for tourist purposes. "Malaga needs to have land available, which is why existing residential land cannot be used for tourist purposes."

De la Torre also listed a number of outstanding issues, such as the use of Repsol's land and moving beyond the ring roads to facilitate growth. He also highlighted the need to improve residential areas.

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