Marbella’s New General Municipal Planning Plan (PGOM)

Marbella’s New General Municipal Planning Plan (PGOM)

The Regional Government of Andalusia (Junta de Andalucía) has officially approved the new General Municipal Planning Plan (PGOM) for Marbella. Following the receipt of regional and environmental authorizations, the Marbella City Council granted final approval for the PGOM during a plenary session on September 18, 2026. The plan was approved with one political party abstaining from the vote. Marbella is now the first municipality in Andalusia to have a General Municipal Planning Plan fully adapted to the LISTA Law. This approval replaces the outdated urban planning regulations that the city had relied upon for years and establishes a secure legal foundation for future development.

I will summarize Marbella’s new General Municipal Planning Plan (PGOM) in a clear and practical manner, avoiding technical urban planning jargon wherever possible.

The most important thing to understand is that this plan represents a very significant change for Marbella: it replaces the urban planning model that had been in place since 1986 and establishes how the municipality should be organized and developed over the coming years.

1. What is the new PGOM?

The PGOM (General Municipal Planning Plan) is the document that establishes Marbella’s overall territorial and urban development model.

It defines:

• Where urban growth and development can take place.
• Which areas and land must be protected.
• Where new infrastructure is planned.
• Which areas may be designated for housing and economic activities.
• How natural spaces should be protected.
• What mobility and public facilities Marbella will need.

The Municipal Plenary gave final approval to the PGOM (General Municipal Urban Planning Plan) on September 18, 2026, making it the first such plan in Andalusia to be adapted to the new regional urban planning legislation, known as LISTA.

The LISTA Law

With this regional-level approval, Marbella has become the first municipality in Andalusia to fully align its urban planning with the 2021 regional law known as LISTA (*Ley de Impulso para la Sostenibilidad del Territorio de Andalucía* — Law for the Promotion of the Sustainability of the Territory of Andalusia). The LISTA Law was introduced to simplify and expedite urban development throughout the region. To achieve this, it splits traditional, complex urban planning schemes into two separate documents:

General Municipal Planning Plan (PGOM) and Urban Planning Plan (POU):

• El PGOM (General Municipal Planning Plan) is a strategic document that has just been approved. It defines the city’s overall layout, classifies land, and outlines major infrastructure and environmental protection measures.
• El POU The POU (Urban Planning Plan) is a detailed management document. It establishes specific zoning regulations at a micro level, such as building heights, the layout of neighborhood streets, and technical construction standards.

El PGOM establece la estrategia general, mientras que el POU (que actualmente aún se encuentra en trámite por parte del ayuntamiento) proporcionará los detalles exactos de ejecución.

2. What are the main changes?

A. A new model of urban growth

One of the main objectives is to move away from uncontrolled urban expansion and towards a more compact and organised city.

The plan:

• Prioritises filling in vacant spaces between existing urban areas.
• Focuses on regenerating and improving established urban areas.
• Allows new developments where justified.
• Seeks to ensure that urban growth is accompanied by adequate infrastructure and services.

The PGOM envisages approximately 53 million square metres of urban land, compared with around 40 million under the previous planning framework.

B. Affordable and social housing

This is one of the most important aspects of the new plan.

Its objectives include:

• Facilitating the construction of social and protected housing.
• Improving access to housing for young people and local families.
• Linking certain urban developments to the provision of affordable housing.
• Reserving 20% of the building capacity of certain planned urban developments for affordable housing, according to the Town Hall’s announcements.

The aim is to ensure that Marbella is not just a tourist destination and a residential location for high-income households, but also a city where local workers and families can afford to live.

C. Urban planning regularisation and legal certainty

Marbella has a complex urban planning situation, partly resulting from the annulment of the 2010 General Urban Development Plan.

The new PGOM aims to establish a planning framework to address inherited urban planning issues.

The Town Hall has indicated that approximately 18,000 homes are affected by this situation.

Important: This does not mean that all these properties will automatically become legal. Each case must be assessed individually under the new planning framework and applicable legislation.

D. Mobility and infrastructure

The plan aims to improve connections throughout Marbella.

Its proposals include:

• New road connections between residential developments.
• A road running parallel to the A-7 motorway.
• Expansion of the cycling network.
• New parking facilities.
• Land reservations for future transport infrastructure, including a possible railway connection.
• Improvements to water supply, sewage and energy networks.

The aim is also to reduce dependence on private cars and encourage public transport.

E. Environmental protection and green spaces

The PGOM promotes a more sustainable Marbella.

Its main objectives include:

• Protecting natural areas and landscape features.
• Connecting urban green spaces with natural environments.
• Preserving ecological corridors between the mountains and the coastline.
• Taking water resources and flood-risk areas into account.
• Improving energy efficiency and water management.

The strategic environmental assessment received a favourable outcome, subject to compliance with the environmental protection and monitoring measures established.

F. Economic activity and tourism

The new planning model also aims to diversify Marbella’s economy.

It seeks to facilitate:

• New business activities.
• Spaces for industrial and technological activities.
• Strategic tourism projects.
• New public facilities and infrastructure.
• Projects that generate employment and economic activity.

The intention is to reduce Marbella’s dependence on tourism and residential tourism alone.

3. The 32 strategic proposals

One interesting aspect of the document is that it includes 32 strategic proposals for Marbella’s future development.

Among the initiatives highlighted by the Town Hall are:

• A new fairground and events venue.
• Improved connections between residential developments.
• A new road running parallel to the A-7.
• New infrastructure and public facilities.

These proposals form part of Marbella’s long-term vision, although their implementation will depend on further planning, financing and the relevant administrative procedures.

4. An important distinction: PGOM and POU are not the same

Under the new Andalusian urban planning legislation, municipal planning is divided into two instruments.

PGOM – General Municipal Planning Plan

Establishes the municipality’s overall development model, including:

• Urban growth.
• Protection of land and territory.
• Major infrastructure.
• Overall territorial structure.

POU – Urban Planning Plan

Provides more detailed planning for urban areas, including:

• Land use.
• Building density and permitted construction.
• Plot conditions.
• Building alignments.
• Detailed urban development regulations.

This distinction is important: although the PGOM has received final approval, further urban planning work through the POU is still required.

nuevoplan.marbella.es

5. What does this mean for property owners and landowners?

This is probably the most relevant aspect from a practical point of view.

The new PGOM could have significant implications for:

• Urban land: its planning status and potential for development.
• Rural land: its classification, protection status and possible exceptional uses.
• Undeveloped plots: their future development potential.
• Properties with planning issues: the framework for addressing their legal and planning status.
• Real estate developments: the general conditions governing future projects.
• Property investments: the potential for changes in land use and development rights in certain areas.

However, it is important to be cautious. The fact that a plot is included in a development area or has potential for future development does not mean that construction can begin immediately.

To establish what can actually be done with a particular plot, it is necessary to examine its classification, land-use designation, planning regulations and specific conditions, as well as the POU and any applicable sector-specific restrictions.

6. Where can you consult the official documents?

The Town Hall has provided a dedicated website where the definitive planning documents can be consulted, including planning reports, regulations, maps and supplementary documentation.

Consult the definitively approved General Municipal Development Plan (PGOM)

Website for the new municipal planning scheme

A note on legal effectiveness: Although final approval has been confirmed, the plan’s full legal effectiveness depends on publication of the approval resolution and urban planning regulations in the Official Provincial Gazette of Málaga (BOPMA).

nuevoplan.marbella.es

Conclusion

The new PGOM aims to change the way Marbella has developed over recent decades.

Its three main objectives are:

1. To organise urban growth and prevent uncontrolled expansion.
2. To facilitate affordable housing, infrastructure and new economic opportunities.
3. To provide greater legal certainty while protecting the natural environment.

However, the real significance of the plan lies in how it will affect individual areas of the municipality, particularly land with an uncertain planning status.

A particularly interesting next step would be to analyse the implications of the new PGOM for specific areas of Marbella, such as Nueva Andalucía, San Pedro, Las Chapas, Elviria, Nagüeles and La Mairena, identifying planned changes, potential developments, protected land and urban development opportunities.