Voices from the Barricades: How Sants Residents Are Fighting Back Against Barcelona's Metro Expansion

The sound of jackhammers has become the soundtrack to summer in Sants. For months, residents along Carrer de Sants and the surrounding streets have watched excavation equipment carve through their neighbourhood, part of Barcelona's ambitious €2.3 billion metro expansion project designed to extend Line 9 and improve connectivity to the airport by 2028.

But while city officials tout the infrastructure improvements, the people who call this historic working-class district home paint a different picture. Rosa Martí, a community organiser with the Plataforma per la Defensa de Sants, says the project has already forced at least 47 families from their homes—many elderly residents who have lived here for decades. "They're offering relocations that barely cover current market rents," Martí explained during an interview at the neighbourhood's cultural centre near Plaça de Sants. "A studio apartment that might have rented for €600 five years ago now costs €1,100. The compensation doesn't match reality."

The tension reflects a broader Barcelona problem: how to modernise infrastructure without erasing the communities that have anchored the city's identity. Sants, historically a manufacturing hub with deep roots dating back to the 19th century, has already transformed dramatically. Local businesses report a 23% closure rate since 2024, with traditional bars, repair shops, and family-run grocers replaced by chains and corporate offices. The metro project, residents argue, is accelerating this gentrification spiral.

At the nearby Can Framis cultural space, younger residents express frustration too. "Nobody consulted us properly about alternatives," said one regular attendee. "There were other routes proposed that would have caused less disruption, but they chose the cheapest option, not the best one for people actually living here."

City administrators counter that the €2.3 billion investment will ultimately benefit all Barcelonans, reducing congestion and improving access from the airport—critical infrastructure for a city welcoming 32 million tourists annually. They point out that construction employs roughly 1,200 workers and that once completed, the expanded metro will service 850,000 daily commuters across the broader metropolitan area.

Yet for Martí and others in Sants, the calculus feels skewed. "Progress isn't just about moving people faster," she said. "It's about who gets to stay, who profits, and what we lose in the process. Right now, Barcelona is choosing infrastructure over community, and Sants is paying the price."

The metro project is scheduled for completion in 2028. Community groups continue pushing for enhanced compensation packages and heritage preservation measures.

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