The Official Bulletin of the Madrid City Council published last Wednesday, August 5, the approval of the technical project for the construction of the cleaning depot in Los Morales, Carabanchel. The Department of Urbanism, Environment, and Mobility had already validated the project on April 7.
The document refers to the facility as a "machinery park", even though the council attempted to quell neighborhood protests by describing it as "changing rooms" for municipal cleaning staff. In 2022, before the municipal elections, the City Council had even committed to halting the construction or finding a new site.
The Regional Federation of Neighborhood Associations of Madrid (Fravm) recently recalled that the City Council, under Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida and with Mariano Fuentes and Borja Carabante as the municipal heads of Urbanism and Environment respectively, publicly assured residents that the depot would not be built at that location. It was even communicated in writing, and it was stated that an alternative location would be sought through consensus with residents.
Affected residents were summoned on May 21 to a meeting with the Councilor for Cleaning and Green Spaces, José Antonio Páramo; the Director General of Cleaning and Waste, Víctor Manuel Sarabia; and the Councilor President of the Carabanchel district, Carlos Izquierdo. However, only the latter attended, with no explanation or apology for the absence of the top officials responsible for Cleaning and Green Spaces.
Residents expressed their concern over the City Council's contradictions. While the team led by Almeida insists the facilities will only be changing rooms, the plans reflect other uses. A similar discourse was used in Montecarmelo for a project now halted by the courts.
The Platform No to the Los Morales Depot and the Neighborhood Association of Carabanchel Alto believe the City Council is "not keeping its word" and acting with "absolute lack of transparency and respect." They have announced the resumption of neighborhood mobilizations.
