Aragón opens the expansion of Cerler towards Castanesa for public review

The Department of Housing, Promotion, Logistics and Territorial Cohesion of the Government of Aragon has declared as substantial and initially approved the modification of supplement number 1 “Castanesa Domain” of the Aragon Project of General Interest (PIGA) for the expansion of the Cerler ski resort, promoted by Fomento y Desarrollo del Valle de Benasque, SA. The decision was adopted through Order VFL/1596/2026, of October 21, which the Official Gazette of Aragon publishes in issue number 212, of November 3, 2026 (reference BOA20261103020), and opens a two-month period for allegations starting from the day following the publication of the announcement.

The same issue of the gazette includes, in section V of announcements, the communication from the General Directorate of Logistics Planning and Territorial Planning specifying the information and public participation process, including the environmental impact study (reference BOA20261103025). The deadline affects a project that has been in processing for more than fifteen years: the expansion was declared of supra-municipal interest in 2008, initially approved in 2010, and its Castanesa domain was authorized by the Agreement of September 11, 2012 of the Government of Aragon, executed via Order of October 8, 2012 (BOA number 254, of October 19, 2012), following the environmental impact statement formulated by the Aragonese Institute of Environmental Management (INAGA) in December 2010.

Less infrastructure and road access

The file responds to the suspension of the other planned domains (Aneto, Ardonés, Isábena, and Urmella), which significantly reduces the expected influx and necessitates the resizing of what was authorized. The main updates are:

• Removal of the 3S gondola lift, with a capacity of 4,000 people per hour, as it is considered oversized.
• Construction of a mountain road between Fonchanina and the new snow front, outside the scope of the PIGA, under the agreement signed by the Government of Aragon, the Provincial Council of Huesca, the Montanuy City Council, and the developer.
• Elimination of the planned parking lots in Benifons and Fonchanina and concentration of parking at the snow front, with two platforms of approximately 10,250 and 9,600 square meters, plus a third smaller one for the treatment plant.
• Reduction of buildings: the main building will have 3,415.27 square meters built and the auxiliary uses building 607.19.
• Reorganization of lifts RM3A, RM1D and conveyors RM1A, RM1B and RM1C, with new layouts in the beginner area.
• New water catchment point for platform P11, at a spring located about 500 meters above, and a 1,750-meter 25 kV underground power line.
• Reduction of the transformation power of the snow front from 4,500 to 2,850 kVA.

The material execution budget is estimated at 25,764,476.36 euros, with a base tender budget of 37,098,269.51 euros including VAT. Of that amount, the buildings chapter reaches 8,768,832.00 euros and the cable transport chapter 14,949,579.83 euros.

Municipalities and groups called to provide input

The process includes a hearing for the city councils of Montanuy, Castejón de Sos, Benasque, Bisaurri, and Laspaúles, which must report on the delimitation of the area of action. Additionally, the order provides for consultations with the Castanesa Mountain Community, the Territorial Planning Council of Aragon, the Nature Protection Council of Aragon, the Ribagorza Region, the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture, Ecologistas en Acción, Los Verdes-SOS Naturaleza, SAEMA, ANSAR, SEO/BirdLife, and the Naturaleza Rural Association.

The documentation, consisting of the explanatory memorandum, nine annexes, and the environmental impact study, can be consulted on the Government of Aragon website enabled for this purpose and in person at the Administrative Information and Documentation Service (Pignatelli building, paseo de María Agustín 36, Zaragoza), in the territorial delegations of Huesca and Teruel, and in the delegated offices of Barbastro, Fraga, Jaca, Alcañiz, Calamocha, Calatayud, Ejea de los Caballeros, and Tarazona. Allegations must be submitted in writing to the General Directorate of Logistics Planning and Territorial Planning, with the public information reference for the modification of the separate 1. The announcement is signed by the general director, Raquel Campos Serrano, and the order by the counselor Octavio López Rodríguez.

Ordinary environmental assessment

Although the developer maintains that the modification would fit within a simplified environmental impact assessment, the regional Executive opted for the ordinary procedure—the one providing the greatest guarantees—under article 23.1.c) of Law 11/2014, of December 4, on Environmental Prevention and Protection of Aragon. This submission to environmental assessment is precisely what prevents the change from being classified as non-substantial and mandates following the full procedure of the consolidated text of the Law on Land Use Planning of Aragon.

The file also modifies the urban planning regulations approved in 2012: it removes the reference to the general cable and road communication systems from Fonchanina and to the Benifons parking lot, and updates the regulatory references to the consolidated text approved by Legislative Decree 2/2015. Annex I details the affected plots, including four private estates in the municipality of Montanuy with cadastral references 22217C003002460000EF, 22217C003002450000ET, 22217C003002610000EE, and 22217C003002560000EI.

The impact of the decision is twofold: it enables the second access to the skiable area through the Baliera valley—which reduces dependence on the Ventamillo gorge and brings the resort closer to the public from Catalonia and France—and, at the same time, opens a real two-month window for residents, tourism companies, and environmental groups to influence the future of the project in the northern area of Ribagorza.

Source: Official Gazette of Aragon, number 212, of November 3, 2026, section III (Other Provisions and Agreements) and section V (Announcements), official reference: BOA20261103020 and BOA20261103025.