L'Hospitalet de Llobregat is finalizing its bid to host the headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency, responsible for managing the country's space program and with an initial budget of 500 million euros. The council has decided to join the race to host the future state headquarters after verifying that the city is "very well positioned," according to its first deputy mayor, Fran Belver.
The metropolitan city will compete with at least ten other cities, pending the end of the application period this week, to host the headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency. Some of the cities that have shown interest include Tres Cantos, Teruel, León, Ciudad Real, Elche, and Seville. For now, L'Hospitalet is the only Catalan city planning to submit a bid and has the endorsement of the Generalitat.
"It's an opportunity for the city," defends Belver. The deputy mayor highlights factors such as the direct employment that will be generated, with an initial planned workforce of 70 employees, as well as the auxiliary industries that can be developed, some already pre-existing in L'Hospitalet's Economic District, he emphasizes. The proposal from the government led by Núria Marín was approved in the last municipal plenary session, with votes in favor from PSC, Cs, L'Hospitalet En Comú Podem, and PP, and the abstention of ERC.
The location with the most potential to be proposed as the headquarters by L'Hospitalet is, precisely, Plaza Europa and its surroundings, although Ciutat de la Justícia is also being considered. According to the bases established by the Government, facilities of 3,000 square meters are required, already built, taking into account that the new public body wants to start operating during the first half of next year. The City Council will not have to make any financial contribution, should the city be chosen, nor any patrimonial contribution.
In the final decision, having extensive public transport coverage, especially high-speed trains, will be positively valued. The central Executive has also specified that the chosen location must be less than an hour from an international airport with connections to Brussels and Paris, as well as Amsterdam, Rome, Frankfurt, Prague, and Toulouse. Likewise, the surroundings of the future headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency will need to have a good hotel offer.