A new step has been taken toward completing Valencia CF’s long-delayed Nou Mestalla project. Just days after the club asked the city council for the bank details to process the payment for the construction of a sports hall in the Benicalap district, the Valencia City Council’s Urban Planning Commission approved the compatibility of commercial use with the sporting designation of the stadium’s surrounding land.

Architectural integration and urban development

The decision was backed by the PP, Vox, and PSOE, while Compromís abstained. For the measure to take legal effect, it must still be ratified during the next plenary session of the city council, scheduled for Tuesday, and subsequently published in the city’s official bulletin.

According to the approved urban plan, the project aims to architecturally integrate all buildings within the Nou Mestalla complex and create a high-quality public space around the stadium. The plan includes service, office, and hotel zones designed to blend harmoniously with the sports infrastructure.

The Commission also rejected objections submitted by the Libertad VCF association, which opposed the project. Officials explained that the group’s arguments lacked legal basis under current urban planning regulations.

© Fenwick Iribarren Architects / Valencia CF

Political tensions surrounding the project

The vote was not without controversy. Papi Robles, representing Compromís, justified her abstention by citing a lack of trust in the club: We cannot give our trust until the money is in the city’s account. We have been misled by an institution that should guarantee compliance with agreements, she said, reminding that Mayor María José Catalá had failed to deliver on her March promise to immediately resume negotiations with the club regarding the stadium and its surroundings.

In July 2024, Valencia CF obtained a conditional building permit, which did not allow construction on commercial plots until the debt for the Benicalap sports hall was settled. The club has now transferred €11.2 million, unlocking the possibility of obtaining a full construction license for the plots owned by the Atitlan group.

© Fenwick Iribarren Architects / Valencia CF

Commercial area around Nou Mestalla

The approval paves the way for developing a retail and hotel zone, originally sold to Atitlan for approximately €35 million. Revenue from that transaction is expected to help finance the long-delayed completion of Nou Mestalla — one of Spanish football’s most symbolic yet problematic infrastructure projects.

The total commercial area covers around 30,000 square meters, and will include office buildings, hotels, and service facilities. The development is expected to increase club revenues and transform Nou Mestalla into a modern sports and business hub.

The Urban Planning Commission’s approval of the commercial-sports compatibility represents a key step in the administrative process. In practical terms, it means the city officially recognizes the feasibility of combining sports and commercial activity along Avenida de las Corts Valencianes, where the new stadium is being built.

After years of stagnation, the project is finally taking tangible shape. If the council ratifies the decision next week, Valencia CF will be able to begin the final stage of preparations to complete a stadium project that has been awaiting realization for nearly two decades.