A disagreement has emerged between Spain's Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez and Ibiza Mayor Rafael Triguero over who should have access to the 532 affordable and protected homes planned at Ca n’Escandell.

The two met on Thursday, September 17, during Rodríguez's visit to the urbanisation works at the future residential development. The minister announced that construction of the first housing blocks could begin in 2027, subject to completion of the urbanisation works and the necessary municipal licences.

The visit also exposed a difference between the central government and Ibiza Town Hall over whether local residents should receive specific priority when the homes are eventually allocated.

532 Homes Planned for Ca n’Escandell

The Ca n’Escandell development is planned on approximately 17.3 hectares of public land and includes 532 affordable and protected homes alongside roads, infrastructure, public spaces and a large urban park.

The current plan divides the housing across three residential plots.

The first two blocks expected to move forward are planned to contain 165 and 197 homes respectively. The remaining 170 homes are planned for a third parcel whose development formula is still being worked out.

First Construction Could Begin in 2027

Rodríguez said the construction of the first housing blocks could begin in 2027 once the current urbanisation works are completed and the required building licences have been obtained.

The urbanisation works include roads, infrastructure and the future park and are currently being carried out by a joint venture of Hermanos Parrot and Tecopsa.

The minister said the works are expected to be completed around March, although she indicated they could potentially finish earlier, around December, if conditions allow.

Two First Blocks Already Have a Development Plan

The first two blocks are planned to contain 165 and 197 homes.

The 197-home development on one of the plots has been awarded to architect Stefano Boeri's practice for the design and construction management work. The project is part of the wider public housing programme being developed through Casa 47, the state housing entity created from the transformation of SEPES.

The homes are planned as one-, two- and three-bedroom properties and will operate under a public rental model.

The Remaining 170 Homes Are More Complicated

The main administrative issue concerns the third residential parcel, which is planned to contain 170 homes.

Casa 47 controls approximately 60% of the land while Ibiza Town Hall owns the remaining 40%.

Rodríguez proposed that both administrations transfer their respective interests to IBAVI, the Balearic public housing institute, so that it could develop the entire 170-home promotion.

Under the proposal described during the visit, the Ministry would contribute around €14 million for the 102 homes corresponding to its share and would subsequently incorporate those homes into the state public housing stock.

Mayor Calls for Local Residents to Receive Priority

The most significant disagreement concerned who should eventually be able to access the homes.

Triguero told the minister that the municipality wants part of the 532 homes to be reserved for residents of Ibiza and subject to specific registration criteria.

His position was that local residents who have lived and worked in the city should have an opportunity to benefit from the public housing being developed on the island.

The mayor said he intended to take the request to the monitoring commission overseeing the agreements with Casa 47.

Minister Rejects Resident-Only Criteria

Rodríguez rejected the proposal for a specific local-resident allocation.

The minister argued that the national government is responsible for housing policy for people throughout Spain and said public housing in Ibiza could also help attract essential workers who need to live on the island.

She specifically referred to professionals such as doctors as an example of workers who may need access to housing in Ibiza.

Rodríguez said that people living in Casa 47 housing would be residents, rather than establishing a separate category based specifically on local registration.

The Disagreement Does Not Change the 532-Home Plan

The disagreement does not mean that the 532-home development has been cancelled or that the number of planned homes has changed.

The dispute concerns the eventual access and allocation criteria, particularly the request from the municipality for specific priority for Ibiza residents.

The development itself remains planned as a public affordable housing project, with the first construction expected to move forward in 2027 subject to the remaining administrative steps.

City Hall Working on Additional Housing

During the visit, Triguero also told the minister that Ibiza Town Hall was pursuing other housing solutions for workers who need accommodation on the island.

Among them is a proposed transfer of municipal land that could allow around 250 additional homes to be developed as public facilities housing for groups including public employees and healthcare workers.

This is a separate proposal from the 532 homes planned at Ca n’Escandell.

A Housing Project More Than a Decade in Development

Ca n’Escandell has been in development for years and is intended to provide a substantial new area of public housing in Ibiza.

The Balearic Government approved the special planning and urbanisation project in 2024, allowing SEPES to proceed with the urbanisation process.

The development includes a large public park and other public facilities, with around 90% of the 17.3-hectare area intended for public spaces and infrastructure.

Housing Demand Remains a Central Issue

The disagreement takes place against a backdrop of intense demand for affordable housing on Ibiza.

During the visit, the mayor referred to around 2,000 families registered with the Balearic public housing system, illustrating the gap between the number of households seeking public housing and the 532 homes planned at Ca n’Escandell.

The 532 homes therefore represent only part of the island's current housing demand.

What Happens Next

The immediate priority is completing the urbanisation works and obtaining the necessary building licences so construction can begin.

At the same time, discussions over the third parcel and the eventual allocation of the homes will continue between the state, regional and municipal administrations.

For now, the 532-home Ca n’Escandell project remains on course for construction from 2027, but the question of exactly how the homes will be allocated has become a point of disagreement between the Spanish Housing Ministry and Ibiza Town Hall.