The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, has presented the new RESIDE Plan during a press conference following the Government Board, with the aim of protecting the residential area of the city. This plan replaces the 2019 Accommodation Plan, which was considered ineffective in curbing the conversion of housing into tourist accommodation and the consequent loss of residential housing in Madrid.
The RESIDE Plan, promoted by the Area of Urban Planning, Environment and Mobility, aims to curb the loss of population in the centre of Madrid, regulate the tourist offer and improve coexistence between neighbours and visitors. The plan prohibits the operation of tourist flats in residential buildings within the historic centre, encouraging their location in buildings dedicated exclusively to tourist activities to avoid conflicts of coexistence.
The regulation is simplified into two main areas: the historic centre and the rest of the city. In the centre, specific areas are delimited where the dispersed operation of tourist flats in residential buildings will not be allowed, and will only be authorised in non-residential buildings or in those residential buildings that become exclusively tourist buildings for 15 years after refurbishment. In addition, the plan includes measures to transform obsolete tertiary buildings into residential ones and to protect local commerce, limiting the transformation of commercial premises into tourist flats.
In contrast, outside the historic centre, Madrid will allow the establishment of tourist flats under the current conditions, with the novelty that they must have independent access if they are in buildings with residential use.
This plan also establishes a temporary suspension of new licences for tourist flats in certain areas from April this year, along with a stricter sanctioning regime for those operating illegally.
The process of approval of the Modification of the General Plan which includes the RESIDE Plan will be taken to the Governing Board in December, with a public information period of one month. Following allegations, provisional approval is expected in April, with an estimated entry into force in August 2025.