The Community of Madrid approves new investments for those affected by the works on Metro's L7B line

Today the Governing Council has approved the allocation of almost 14 million euros for different works in the areas of San Fernando de Henares affected by the works on Metro Line 7B. This new investment is in addition to those authorised by the Community of Madrid this year for the rehabilitation of residents' homes, and the improvement and stabilisation of land.

The approved budget includes 1.4 million for emergency re-housing, surveillance, inspection and structural monitoring, structural reinforcement and health and safety measures for the buildings located in C/ Prensa, 17 - 27, which were evacuated in September, and to prepare the reports for the demolition of these houses after receiving notification from the San Fernando de Henares City Council declaring them to be in a state of ruin.

These actions include the rehousing of the seven families who were living in these houses, for which the regional government is taking charge of maintenance, removals and storage of furniture, shipping costs, utilities in the unoccupied dwellings and at the destination, private parking spaces for the duration of the works and estate agency services.

The contracts also include the demolition of the buildings, the adaptation of the plot to ensure that it is watertight and stable, waste management, channelling work and the temporary rehousing of three families from number C/ Presa, 15.

Additionally, 10 million euros have been allocated to the stabilisation of the land affected by L7B, which will cover 10,000 square metres, mainly affecting the following streets: Rafael Alberti, Presa, Pablo Olavide, Francisco Sabatini and Nazario Calonge.

COMPLEJO DEL PILAR

In addition, the Governing Council has also been informed the need for urgent intervention in the El Pilar complex, also affected by L7B. For this, 2.4 million euros are going to be invested over a period of 8 months. This will include work on the El Tambor Nursery School, the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas and the Escuela de Adultos, which have been vacant since 2016 when measures began to be taken as a result of the destabilisation of the land, as well as the perimeter wall, which forms part of this space.

In the first instance, this contract will involve the structural analysis of the buildings and the trees in the urban area, and the drafting of a demolition project. Restoration and conditioning works will also be carried out on the plot.

COMPREHENSIVE ACTIONS

The Community of Madrid has explained that the Regional Government will be investing more than 120 million euros to continue with the comprehensive actions in the municipality, the aim of which is to guarantee the safety and well-being of the citizens affected, and meetings with local residents continue.

set up an Information Office to support all those families who request assistance, whether to find out more about the status of their compensation claims, the progress of the works, the projects or any other issue or initiative they may wish to discuss. Since opening, it has received more than 115 enquiries.

On the other hand, the Community of Madrid is currently processing the property liability claims in order to compensate the owners of the properties, and will also initiate the corresponding proceedings to compensate the municipality for the damage caused to streets, pavements and other public places.

At present, 72 families have been rehoused. In 27 cases, the deadline for rehousing established in the emergency order issued by the Regional Government has expired, and as it could not be extended, an agreement has been reached with the residents, whereby they will be paid 798 euros for six months, through an advance payment of 4,788 euros until they receive the corresponding compensation for the demolition of their homes. So far, 10 such subsidies have been processed.

So far, more than 40 million has been invested in housing rehabilitation, as well as land improvement and stabilisation. In addition, since September 2021, the regional government has allocated more than 4 million euros for the rehousing of residents, moving, renting the flats they have moved to, maintenance and relocations.