Cartagena auctions 14 historic-centre plots

The Urban Planning Department of Cartagena has published on the municipal website the dossiers for 14 plots in the historic centre to be auctioned. These are part of the initial 41 sites subject to proceedings for non‑compliance with the obligation to build, the mayor Noelia Arroyo said after a meeting on the Municipal Housing Strategy.

The fourteen plots total 2,076 m² of land and allow 8,705 m² of buildable area, potentially enabling the construction of up to 80 new homes. Six plots are on the streets Aire, Balcones Azules and Duque; five are in San Diego; the remainder are in Plaza San Francisco, Plaza Risueño and Calle Honda. Individual developable areas range from 403.76 m² to 1,247.02 m².

Starting prices range from €114,434 to €408,212. The largest parcel by surface is Calle Duque 4 (388 m²), which also has the highest buildable area (1,247.02 m²). Each dossier includes surface, buildability, planning regime, permitted number of storeys and starting price, and can be accessed via cartagena.es.

Separately, 27 properties submitted building licence applications during the procedure — representing 60% of the total — and plan to develop 170 homes, plus a 97‑bed student residence, commercial units and parking. The mayor highlighted municipal fiscal incentives, including a 90% reduction on the building tax, and said a regional affordable housing decree will introduce compensation and direct excavation grants to make construction in archaeologically constrained areas more attractive.

Most plots are designated for conservation‑renewal, lack heritage protection and lie in archaeological zone A, meaning any work will be subject to archaeological oversight. The auction procedure will follow the rules for patrimonial disposal contracts and seeks to bring central urban plots to market; a second phase over 36 additional plots has also been launched.