The Governing Council has greenlit the Law Project for Impulse and Balanced Development in the Region (LIDER). This initiative, announced by president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, seeks to simplify urban planning with a unified vision for the Community of Madrid, considering municipal needs, environmental protection, infrastructure, and local socio-economic characteristics.
A key innovation is the new model of Strategic Municipal Plans (PEM), allowing municipalities to approve their planning within four to six years, down from the current seven. Development planning will be reduced from seven to four years, potentially completed in one year in specific cases through urban ordinances. Currently, 42 municipalities, including Madrid capital, are already developing their PEMs under Law 7/2024.
The law also simplifies land classification, reducing it from five to three categories—developed, protected rural, and unprotected rural—to improve management and clarity. Municipalities over 15,000 inhabitants will gain greater autonomy in approving planning instruments, with the regional government overseeing legality. All councils can approve their ordinances, detailed studies, and protected asset catalogs.
The development of agricultural and livestock activities in rural areas will be facilitated through simplified procedures, authorized by the municipalities themselves. Furthermore, LIDER introduces a pioneering model for neighborhood redevelopment without passing costs onto residents and for expediting historical heritage protection.
For smaller municipalities, a specific regime and a technical support service for urban planning development are established. This law complements other measures like Law 3/2024, which has led to licenses for 3,679 protected housing units, and the regional Urban Planning Accelerator, promoting projects for 17,600 apartments.
Finally, LIDER will update regulations on public shows and recreational activities, in effect for nearly 30 years. Municipalities over 20,000 inhabitants will authorize exceptional events, and the use of open flames or pyrotechnics in hospitality venues without designated areas will be prohibited.
