The situation in the Benicalap neighborhood has become complicated after the authorization for the construction of a hotel with 245 rooms and 650 tourist apartments was confirmed. This infrastructure will be located in the Nou Mestalla towers, a space that residents hoped would house public facilities such as a sports center.
The residents, who have been suffering from the paralysis of construction works in this area of Valencia for years, have expressed their disagreement with the prioritization of these private projects. The general perception is that the neighborhood's needs are being relegated to the background in favor of hotel interests.
This decision is part of a context of tension between the city council and neighborhood movements. Several associations have criticized the lack of citizen participation in the city's urban development, pointing out that participation bodies are being emptied of content and speculation is being prioritized to the detriment of the general interest.
