The reconstruction of the industrial pavilion at Onaindia's plant has begun without a building permit or municipal authorization in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The company had applied in January for permission to partially rebuild the facility, damaged by a fire, but started the work before completing the documentation required by the City Council and before receiving official approval.
This information emerged during a session of the Urbanism and Housing Committee, following questions from Elkarrekin and EH Bildu. The municipal government confirmed that an ex officio inspection on April 8th found the works already underway, leading to the opening of an urban legality protection file on April 15th, which included an order to cease operations.
According to details presented in the committee, Onaindia requested the permit for partial reconstruction in January. During the processing, municipal services asked for additional documentation, which was not provided at the time. However, a technical visit on April 8th confirmed that construction had started without the corresponding license. A week later, on April 15th, a resolution was issued to halt the works, granting the company 15 days to submit objections and necessary documents. The company received the stop-work order on April 20th and submitted new documentation on April 30th, including that related to fire safety regulations for industrial establishments.
The file is currently under review, with municipal technical services analyzing the submitted documentation before a decision on the license is made. The pavilion is part of the Onaindia waste treatment plant in Artapadura, a facility that already raised concerns in April 2025 when a fire necessitated air quality monitoring in several districts of Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The group Elkarrekin stated that this is not a minor repair but the reconstruction of a burnt industrial pavilion, warning that the case should not be resolved with a mere warning. EH Bildu has also requested close monitoring of the file, inquiring about the duration of unlicensed work, compliance with the halt order, and potential consequences for starting the construction prematurely.
The Councilor for Urbanism, Borja Rodríguez, defended the City Council's actions, explaining that the April 8th inspection was conducted proactively and confirmed the commencement of works without a permit. Following this report, the file was initiated, and operations were ordered to stop. Rodríguez emphasized that the responsibility for undertaking construction without a license lies primarily with the promoter and that the City Council must respect procedures and deadlines for hearings and objections before making further decisions.
