For the first time, APCEspaña, CNC, CSCAE, and CGATE have jointly drawn up a ten-point plan aiming to achieve a National Housing Pact
The Spanish Construction Sector Proposes 10 Key Measures to Address the Housing Shortage
The housing shortage in Spain has become one of the country’s most significant challenges. The limited availability of housing for rent or purchase, combined with rising prices, is putting significant pressure on the market, now regarded as the primary concern for Spaniards, according to the CIS. To address this issue, the leading organisations in the construction sector have come together for the first time to present a set of effective solutions.
Promoted by Construmat, the International Construction Exhibition, the document outlining these measures, titled “A Constructive Outlook: Ten Measures to Address the Housing Shortage in Spain,” was presented at an event at the CNC headquarters. The event featured Xavier Vilajoana, president of the Association of Property Developers and Builders of Spain (APCEspaña), Pedro Fernández Alén, president of the Spanish National Construction Confederation (CNC), Marta Vall-llossera, president of the Higher Council of the Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE), Alfredo Sanz Corma, president of the General Council of Technical Architecture of Spain (CGATE), and Roger Bou, director of Construmat.
The president of Construmat, Xavier Vilajoana, emphasised the importance of the document and its joint creation: “The ten-point plan highlights the key areas where immediate action is necessary, as well as the need to secure a National Housing Pact to improve access to housing for families in Spain.” Vilajoana, who is also the president of APCEspaña, called for legal certainty and reminded of the key role of the private sector in the construction of both private and affordable housing, as well as social housing in Spain: “More than 80% of the social housing built in Spain in the last 10 years has been constructed by private property development companies. If we want to continue expanding this part of the housing stock, public administrations must work with the private sector, which is the one with the capacity and resources to meet both current and future housing needs,” he insisted.
220,000 Homes per Year
The ten-point plan calls for an increase in housing creation, both for sale and for rent, to 220,000 homes annually, in order to reduce the current shortage, which could reach a deficit of 2.74 million homes by 2039 unless annual production is significantly increased, according to APCEspaña. To achieve this increase, the four entities agree on the importance of securing suitable land, which requires efficient management with all necessary guarantees and legal certainty. In line with this, there is a need for the unification of regulations, with a clear and stable regulatory framework, as well as the streamlining and improvement of the licensing process. It is essential that the Administration equips itself with the necessary resources and means to comply with current laws. Additionally, the plan calls for a review of the tax system, establishing incentives and facilitating financing.
“The Administration must adapt to new times by speeding up processes and aligning with market realities. Furthermore, we must advocate for the role of professional associations as entities capable of contributing to better resource management, driving the transformation of the sector,” stated Alfredo Sanz, president of CGATE.
Public-Private Collaboration, Building Rehabilitation, and Vocational Training
Within this transformation framework, and aiming to provide a sufficient housing supply, the four professional entities also call for a framework of public-private collaboration to optimise resources and the management of affordable housing. Moreover, as a key element in transforming and increasing the existing housing stock, they advocate for the promotion of building rehabilitation and urban regeneration, beyond the Next Generation EU funds, with accessible grants. They also request that both the industrialisation process of the sector and sustainability criteria, necessary to meet the European Union’s decarbonisation objectives, be guided by architectural quality as a guarantee for the common good.
In this regard, Marta Vall-llossera, president of CSCAE, highlighted: “Access to housing is one of the greatest concerns for a large sector of the population in our country. Therefore, it is necessary to expand the housing stock and propose solutions capable of offering adequate responses to current needs. As tools in service of good architecture, sustainability, and responsible resource use, industrialisation and new technologies can contribute to this, applied both to the construction of new homes, in an orderly manner and where needed, and to the rehabilitation of the existing housing stock and urban regeneration. This will allow us to move towards a dignified, sustainable, habitable, and just future for all, ensuring lasting wellbeing.”
Reform of the Land Law and Skilled Labour
Additionally, APCEspaña, CNC, CSCAE, and CGATE point out the need to develop an emergency plan to address the lack of skilled labour, with particular attention to training and attracting young people and women to the sector.
“A complex problem like housing cannot have simple solutions; it must be tackled from a multifaceted perspective. First and foremost, it is urgent to unlock the Land Law, which has failed several times due to an incomprehensible lack of political will. At the same time, public-private collaboration must be strengthened to leverage the potential of our construction companies, which are world leaders. And, no less importantly, we must address the worrying shortage of skilled labour, which requires us to reverse the unjust demonisation of the sector and continue investing in training, the regularisation of immigrants, and the use of technology. This will not only make the sector more attractive to young people but also increase the presence of women in construction,” stated Pedro Fernández Alén, president of CNC.
National Housing Pact
To ensure that these initiatives can be carried out, the ten-point plan also highlights the importance of providing sufficient and stable funding for housing policies that are implemented. The four associations of the sector are calling for more political consensus and the formulation of a National Housing Pact, with a long-term vision to ensure lasting solutions.
The ten-point plan will be presented to representatives of the Spanish Government and other administrations attending Construmat, and will be discussed during the conference sessions at the fair. In this regard, Roger Bou, director of the exhibition, assured: “Our event has created this meeting point for key entities in the sector to jointly analyse the challenges of housing and, with a constructive outlook, propose possible solutions in a stimulating debate that we will continue in Barcelona next May.”
Construmat, the International Construction Exhibition organised by Fira de Barcelona, will bring together 350 exhibitors from 22 countries in Barcelona from May 20 to 22, turning the event into a major showcase for construction technologies, systems, and materials, as well as a forum for knowledge with an important congress, sessions, and other activities to advance towards a more innovative and responsible building model capable of addressing the housing shortage in Spain.
Madrid, April 3, 2025
Further information
Helena Platas / CPAC Comunicación
Tel.: 636 78 85 70 / helenaplatas@cpaccomunicacion.com
Maria Dolores Herranz / Fira de Barcelona / Construmat 2025
Tel. 93 233 25 41 / premsa@firabarcelona.com