Preventing sprawl and suburbanization

Many cities have opted for a town planning model that fosters the installation of large shopping malls in the outskirts, as well as excessive consumerism and reliance on motorized vehicles for essential daily activities. In the context of a shopping mall, people are considered consumers rather than citizens.

Fresh food

One of the key aspects of high quality of life is easy access to fresh food from local shops and producers. Pontevedra and its transformative city model are characterized by a dense local network of small markets and supermarkets, which make distribution, sale and delivery of goods much more efficient and comfortable. Many outlets offer same-day home delivery services or allow buyers to carry their bags home directly in the trolley.

Walking to the shop

A 2016 poll has shown that 91.5% of city center residents prefer to buy goods within walking distance of their homes. Less than 5% of inner ring residents use their car to buy food, clothes or presents and among those who do, shopping malls in the outskirts are the least preferred option. Most small local supermarkets offer free underground parking for non-residents, as well as home delivery services, which are also free of charge.

A strong economy

Despite the aftershocks of banking and real estate restructuring, the private services sector kept growing in parallel with the implementation of urban reforms, which led to a 7% increase in the number of jobs on offer between 1997 and 2015. In addition, there was a remarkable increase in population and economic activity during this same period.