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San Miguel Market Reform Approved with Increased Basement Floor Space

Madrid City Council greenlights special plan allowing a 10% increase in basement buildability after ruling out medieval wall remains.

Facade of the Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid, a historic building with ornate architecture under the afternoon sun.
IA

Facade of the Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid, a historic building with ornate architecture under the afternoon sun.

Madrid City Council has approved a special plan to reform the San Miguel Market, which includes a 10% increase in basement buildability after medieval wall remains were ruled out.

The Madrid City Council has given the green light to a special plan that will regulate the renovation of the San Miguel Market, a building declared an Asset of Cultural Interest. The initiative aims to improve the technical, hygienic, and accessibility conditions of the property, while also allowing for a 10% increase in buildable area on the basement floor. This decision comes after the Community of Madrid ruled out the presence of medieval wall remains beneath the structure.
The vote was supported by the People's Party and VOX, while Más Madrid and the PSOE voted against it. The expediente included two political objections, one from Más Madrid and another from the Socialist Group, which were partially accepted and incorporated into the final document.
Borja Carabante, delegate for Urbanism, Environment, and Mobility, argued that the project will modernize this historic market and adapt its facilities to contemporary demands. The building, constructed between 1913 and 1916, covers 1,745 square meters and is part of Madrid's protected architectural heritage.
The processing was marked by debate over potential impact on the alignment of Madrid's medieval Christian wall. Following a request from the PSOE, an archaeological study was conducted, which determined the absence of significant remains below 12 meters of depth from the market.
The socialist spokesperson for Urbanism, Antonio Giraldo, criticized the initial expediente for not including this study, asserting that the Christian wall's alignment passes through the area. He recalled that the 2020 special plan for the wall mandates consideration of this circumstance.
Carabante explained that the study was incorporated as a "precautionary measure," despite the expediente having already been reviewed by the City Council's Heritage commissions. The General Directorate of Cultural Heritage of the Community of Madrid ruled that there are no medieval wall remains below 12 meters, supporting the compatibility of the works with heritage preservation.
The mandatory report from the Local Heritage Commission, issued on April 9, 2026, validates the compatibility between the increased basement buildability and the preservation of the building's heritage value. The San Miguel Market, one of the most recognizable gastronomic and tourist spots in central Madrid, will now see its modernization unblocked.

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