Residents in Palma are calling for an immediate suspension of new licences for bars and restaurants in noise-polluted areas. The Associació de Veïns Barri Cívic Santa Catalina-Es Jonquet, joined by other local neighbourhood groups, have launched an awareness campaign titled "El Ruido Es Tortura" (The Noise is Torture) emphasising the impact of excessive noise on community wellbeing. Their focus is on districts known for high acoustic contamination, including Santa Catalina, Es Jonquet, the Paseo Marítimo, and Sa Llotja-Born, which have become prominent centres of uncontrolled nightlife activity in Palma.
Through a formal statement, the association demanded "a thorough review of current licences" ensuring that all establishments "conduct activities consistent with their permits and comply fully with noise regulations, such as soundproofing, the installation of double doors, keeping windows closed, and respecting occupancy limits to prevent noise from spilling into surrounding streets and residences."
Additional measures proposed include halting new public space occupation licences for terraces in noise-affected zones and enforcing stricter controls on existing licences, penalising unauthorised or oversized street occupancies. They also urge the city council to suspend authorisations for any new events featuring music or concerts in public spaces, plazas, or parks within these already saturated noise areas, highlighting that not all public activities require music.
Calls for changes in municipal regulations and enforcement
The associations request amendments to municipal bylaws to reduce operating hours, pointing out that current regulations allow venues to remain open until 4 a.m. even within residential neighbourhoods. They advocate for incentives that encourage relocating venues—especially nightclubs and large concert halls—which presently operate in areas designated as BIC (cultural heritage sites), to non-residential zones.
Regarding public space usage, they also demand reduced permitted hours for terrace occupation and intensified campaigns to curb antisocial behaviours such as street drinking. The residents urge effective fines against activities like holding whistles or other noise-making devices that cause unnecessary disturbance.
In sum, the local groups offer to collaborate by presenting concrete proposals aimed at 'finding an effective solution to the noise problem that allows the restoration of neighbourhood coexistence.' The dialogue underscores the tensions between maintaining vibrant nightlife and preserving quality of life for residents in Palma’s central districts.