Carabanchel is preparing to unveil a large square with less asphalt and more neighborhood life. The City Council has given the green light to the comprehensive remodeling of Plaza de Oporto and its surroundings as part of the Sures Plan, a project budgeted at €5.3 million (initially €2 million) between 2026 and 2027, which seeks to transform this traffic hub into a true pedestrian meeting place for the south of Madrid.
The project will focus on reducing the prominence of cars and gaining space for sidewalks, recreational areas, and trees, in line with other recent renovations in the historic center of Carabanchel. The project envisages a complete reorganisation of traffic, with fewer lanes, improved pedestrian crossings and changes in the direction of traffic in the surrounding streets: Glorieta del Valle del Oro and the intersection of Calle General Ricardos with Calle de la Oca and Calle de Valle de la Oca.
The new design will expand green areas, introduce flower beds and new trees, and replace much of the asphalt pavement with more user-friendly materials, such as granite slabs and seating areas with benches, illuminated with high-efficiency LED lighting. However , residents are uncertain whether this will put an end to the daily street drinking parties that take place in the area or, on the contrary, increase them, as stated in the announcement made on social media by Madrid City Councilor Carlos Izquierdo.
A strategic investment for southern Madrid
The €5.3 million allocated to Oporto is the largest item in this year’s new Plan Sures initiatives, the municipal program that aims to rebalance the southern and eastern districts with more green areas, better public spaces, and quality facilities. At the same time, the City Council continues to renovate streets and squares in the historic center of Carabanchel Bajo, where work has already been carried out on a single platform, tree planting, and accessibility improvements worth €3.2 million.
The future Plaza de Oporto will thus be a key part of this network of new pedestrian spaces that seek to bring the neighborhood together, breathe life into one of the densest areas of Madrid, and demonstrate that rebalancing also means replacing asphalt with shade, benches, and street life.