Palma in Transition: What the City Really Plans for 2026 — and Which Questions Remain

Key question: Will Palma's big promises for 2026 bring more change — or mostly more questions?

Mayor Jaime Martínez has put a number of visible interventions on the table for this year: Plaça Major is to be decluttered and redesigned (city funds: 21 million euros), Plaça Mercat is to be repaved after the high season (4.4 million euros; planned construction time: 20 months), the Gesa building on the Paseo Marítimo, vacant for about 15 years, is now in municipal hands and is to become a cultural and information centre, the Metropolitan cinema in Pere Garau is to become a public neighbourhood centre of 7,000 sqm, a "Metropolitan Forest" is planned around Palma on Son Quint (approx. 4 million square metres) and an exhibition and events centre with space for around 8,000 people and a hall for about 220 people is envisaged in the eastern suburb of Son Ferriol (investment framework: 46 million euros).

Critical analysis: What is being talked about — and what is unclear

At first glance this reads like the list of a city that wants to renew itself. But it is more of a puzzle of ambitions, figures and gaps. The sums are considerable; 21 million at Plaça Major and 46 million in Son Ferriol are not small amounts. But: Where exactly do the funds come from? Do the costs include oversight and follow-up expenses (maintenance, cleaning, security)? Which specific permits are necessary — and how will the city council, island council and Balearic government coordinate? Too many questions remain unanswered.

For Plaça Mercat a construction time of 20 months has been announced — starting after the coming high season. That sounds reasonable, but it could also mean 20 months of construction in a neighbourhood that depends on small shops. The famous Alaska kiosk is to be preserved — a good sign for existing businesses — but how will deliveries, short-term parking and accessible access be managed during the works?

What is missing from the public discourse

There is a lack of reliable information on how the projects will relieve residents and workers on site. Hardly anyone speaks about social impact: Will rents in affected neighbourhoods be stabilised? Are there compensatory measures for small retailers who previously relied on foot traffic? The ecological balance of the interventions often appears as a buzzword: "Metropolitan Forest" sounds good, but details on species selection, irrigation plans for dry years and long-term care are missing. A binding timeline for the Gesa project or the conversion of the Metropolitan cinema is also absent; "it is intended" is not enough for transparency.

A scene from everyday life

Early morning at Plaça Major: the baker is turning dough, an older woman sits by the fountain with her shopping bag, two craftsmen pass by with tools. Scooters hum down the narrow alley, the Cathedral bells toll softly. When the excavator buckets arrive, this exact mix of everyday life will disappear — along with the improvised encounters that make Palma lively. Such scenes should not only appear in PR photos; they must be part of the planning.

Concrete solutions

1) Publish phased plans: carry out works in clearly separated stages so markets, shops and residents remain accessible during construction. 2) Establish maintenance funds: guarantee annual funds for cleaning, lighting and green upkeep for squares like Plaça Major and Mercat after completion. 3) Local compensation: short-term financial aid or rent reductions for affected small businesses during construction. 4) Transparent financing: disclosure of funding sources, loan conditions and reserves, including a worst-case scenario for cost overruns. 5) Environmental check: independent studies on irrigation and biodiversity for the Metropolitan Forest and strategies for drought periods. 6) Local participation: regular citizen assemblies in the affected neighbourhood, not just digital leaflets but real meetings in community centres, weekly markets and libraries.

Why this matters

Gentrification is not an abstract term in Palma: Pere Garau, the old town, even Son Ferriol feel the pressure of rising rents and changing uses. Large investments without a social plan only shift problems. Those who want to make urban spaces "hipper" must ensure that the people who bring these places to life every day are not displaced.

Conclusion: Palma's plans for 2026 have the potential to enhance parts of the city — attractive ideas include a usable Plaça Major, a new cultural house on the Paseo Marítimo or a large urban forest. What will be decisive, however, is whether the city administration turns promises into concrete, verifiable plans: with clear timelines, transparent financing, maintenance concepts and genuine participation formats for local residents. Without that, attractive images may remain — and in the end many questions will remain open in a city that would rather be lively than massively renovated.