Construction has officially begun on 48 new public rental homes in Can Cantó, Ibiza, following the laying of the first stone of the new IBAVI development on Calle des Cubells, 17.

The ceremony took place on 1 October and was attended by Balearic Islands President Marga Prohens, Ibiza Island Council President Vicent Marí, Balearic Housing, Territory and Mobility Minister José Luis Mateo, Ibiza Town Mayor Rafael Triguero and IBAVI director Roberto Maria Cayuela.

The development is being built on a 3,186-square-metre plot transferred by Ibiza Town Council to the Balearic Islands Housing Institute, IBAVI.

The homes will be offered as protected public housing for rent and are intended to increase access to affordable housing for people living on the island.

48 Homes Across Three Sizes

The development will include 48 homes distributed across three different sizes.

There will be:

• 24 one-bedroom homes of approximately 40 square metres

• 18 two-bedroom homes of approximately 55 square metres

• Six three-bedroom homes of approximately 70 square metres

Four of the homes will be adapted for people with disabilities.

The building will have a ground floor and two upper floors, with a maximum constructed area of approximately 4,607 square metres.

A further 48 underground parking spaces are planned as part of the development.

Preference for Long-Term Local Residents

The homes are intended for residents of Ibiza, with the Govern stating that preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate at least 10 years of registered residence in the municipality of Eivissa.

The same local-residence criterion is planned for other public housing developments on the island, in coordination with the Ibiza Town Council and Ibiza Island Council.

This should not be confused with an exclusive 10-year residency requirement for every IBAVI public housing programme. The wider framework for these new promotions refers to residents of the Balearic Islands, with preference given to residents of the municipality where the homes are located.

€9.8 Million Construction Project

The construction contract for the Can Cantó development was awarded to Hermanos Parrot, S.A. for approximately €9.8 million, excluding taxes.

The project has a planned construction period of 19 months.

The development forms part of the Govern Balear's wider programme to expand public and affordable housing across Ibiza.

The Can Cantó project is also co-financed through the European Regional Development Fund, FEDER, for the 2021-2027 period, and forms part of the Balearic Government's “Illes en Transformació” investment programme.

More Than 430 IBAVI Homes Planned in Ibiza

The Govern says IBAVI is currently promoting more than 430 new public homes in Ibiza, which would substantially increase the institute's existing public housing stock on the island.

According to the official announcement, IBAVI currently has 171 homes in Ibiza and the planned developments are expected to take the total to more than 600.

Separately, the island-wide affordable housing programme involving the Govern, local institutions and private initiatives is expected to deliver more than 1,200 affordable homes for residents through different measures.

The Can Cantó development is the second of two new IBAVI projects planned on municipal land in the city of Eivissa. The other is a separate eight-home public housing project on the site of the former Mercat Pagès.

Construction Now Underway

The laying of the first stone marks the formal start of construction of the 48-home development.

With a 19-month construction period, the project will now move from the planning and procurement stage into the construction phase.

Once completed, the Can Cantó development will add 48 publicly owned rental homes to Ibiza's housing stock, including accessible homes and underground parking, with priority for applicants meeting the local-residence criteria established for the promotion.