Real Madrid has been left without parking spaces or a tunnel for the Santiago Bernabéu. The High Court of Justice upheld last year's ruling despite appeals from the club and the city authorities. The verdict confirms another victory for the neighbours of the stadium.

Hit twice, but not sunk yet

No parking lots or tunnel. The High Court of Justice of Madrid upheld the decision issued by Administrative Court No. 30 in September 2024. According to the court, there is no public interest in the project, only the possibility of profit for Real Madrid.

Despite the joint appeal by Real Madrid and the City Council, the Neighborhood Association of Those Affected by the Bernabéu once again emerged victorious in the battle against Los Blancos, which witnesses its modern temple become a sea of problems.

Last year, the club gave in to pressure over noise at concerts, and now it has failed in its attempt to prove that the two parking lots and the tunnel with direct access to Estadio Santiago Bernabéu would benefit the community. The Court considers that although the car parks could alleviate the shortage of parking spaces to a certain extent, the air and noise pollution would cause greater harm. For the judges, Real Madrid's project responds to its particular interest and benefit and infringes the 2017 Special Plan. However, this ruling could also be appealed within 30 days.

© Bernabéu | Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is located in the heart of the Chamartín district.

The plan for the Bernabéu surroundings goes up in smoke

But if nothing changes, Real Madrid's plans for the Bernabéu surroundings will be thrown into disarray. According to the project presented in 2021, the club wanted to build two underground parking lots with a total of almost 2,000 spaces, one on Padre Damian street and the other on Concha Espina avenue, and a 650-meter tunnel.

The City Council gave the green light for the club, in exchange for paying the €70M that the work would cost, to take over the parking lots for 40 years. However, the club also wants to reduce the Concha Espina avenue from five lanes to four, reduce the lanes to one in each direction on Padre Damián street, and build a square of around 20,000 square meters on the side of Paseo de la Castellana, as well as rebuild the square in front of the Bernabéu parish, that is, the parish of the Sacred Hearts.

A year ago, after hearing the first ruling, Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida stated that the project is better for residents, traffic, and environmental conditions. However, he had to accept the ruling and force the club to restore the open space during the construction work. Now the question remains as to whether Real Madrid and the City Council will appeal again or modify their plans, and also what will happen with the works that had already begun.