The Andalusia regional government’s Project Accelerator Unit (UAP) is advancing administrative procedures for four major residential developments in Seville and Cádiz, comprising 4,759 homes. Carolina España, the region’s third vice-president and minister for Economy, Finance and European Funds, said the unit’s first inclusion of residential projects would help speed their development and permitting and contribute to expanding housing supply.
The projects are 514 homes at the Albacerrado development in Tarifa, Cádiz; 555 at El Caracol-Las Tres Marías in El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz; 1,764 at Villanueva del Pítamo in Seville; and 1,926 at Higuerón Norte, also in Seville. España said adding residential developments broadens the UAP’s role and gives it another way to contribute to housing supply. She said more homes need to be built, and more quickly, and that the unit can accompany, coordinate and expedite projects considered important to the region and its residents.
The UAP began operating effectively in September 2020, with the aim of reducing administrative obstacles to business development. Since then, it has been assigned 156 projects, with planned investment of €21,851.51 million and an estimated 64,685 jobs. Of these, 55 were assigned after being declared of strategic interest and 101 following decisions by the Andalusian government’s General Commission of Vice-Ministers.
Administrative processing has been completed for 46 projects, representing €2,243 million in investment and 11,932 jobs across the region. The unit’s technical staff support project promoters through administrative procedures, review applicable regulations, identify required permits and the agencies involved, and set out schedules to track progress.
The UAP works across sectors including industry, energy, mining, logistics, agrifood, circular economy, technology, infrastructure and healthcare. The regional government said the unit has also developed an information-management system, known as SUAP, to improve the organization of project information and monitoring of deadlines. The European Commission has recognized the UAP as an example of good practice in speeding up permits for renewable-energy projects and associated infrastructure.