The municipal council of Alcobendas, north of Madrid, has granted final approval to the Valgrande development plan, paving the way for the creation of a new district with 8,600 homes. The project received overwhelming political support, with 26 of the 27 councillors voting in favour, marking a decisive step in a process that has spanned more than two decades.
The urban plan, promoted by the Valgrande Compensation Board and drafted by Arnaiz, had initially been approved in August 2024 but required procedural corrections following a Supreme Court ruling in June 2025, which annulled the earlier plan while endorsing the overall development.
Valgrande will involve a total investment of €2.3 billion and is positioned as one of the largest mixed-use neighbourhoods in the Madrid region. Of the total housing units, 54% will be protected housing (4,638 units) and 40% will be developed on municipal land (3,483 units), reinforcing Alcobendas’ capacity to expand affordable housing supply in a high-demand market.
Among the main landowners within the Valgrande area are the Alcobendas City Council, Neinor, Aedas, Culmia, Azora, Delta, and Pryconsa, according to market sources cited by Expansión.
The new district will also include 55,000 square metres of commercial and tertiary land, as well as extensive green infrastructure. More than 570,000 square metres — around 27% of the total area — will be allocated to parks and open spaces, including two major new parks: a 200,000 sqm natural buffer zone adjoining the Monte de Valdelatas, and a 212,000 sqm central park running along the Valdelacasa stream.
From an environmental and technological standpoint, Valgrande aims to become a “smart district”, integrating over 50 sustainability measures. These include energy-efficient LED lighting, solar panels, virtual batteries, electric vehicle charging stations, water recycling systems, pneumatic waste collection, and the undergrounding of the old M-616 road.
The project is expected to generate over 4,000 jobs during construction and 1,200 permanent positions, while contributing an estimated €511 million in economic returns to the municipality through taxes, infrastructure, and public amenities.
“This final approval is a great achievement for Alcobendas and for everyone who has worked for more than twenty years to make Valgrande a reality,” said Leopoldo Arnaiz, managing director of the Valgrande Compensation Board. “It represents a viable, sustainable and necessary development that responds to the real housing needs of both Alcobendas and northern Madrid.”
With planning approval now secured, the next steps include the registration of the reparcelling project and the approval of urbanisation plans, with the aim of starting works in the coming months.