The Renfe Warehouses will turn San Jerónimo into Seville’s “aerospace hub”
It has been just over two and a half years since the Seville City Council formally accepted the rehabilitation works of the former Renfe Warehouses in the San Jerónimo neighbourhood. This industrial building, constructed in 1929 in the context of the Seville Ibero-American Exposition by the railway company MZA, was originally intended to serve as a train repair workshop. However, the urban developments linked to Expo ’92 left the site out of use, and since then it had been awaiting a project to end its long-standing abandonment. After a lengthy construction process marked by unexpected delays, the building was not inaugurated until 2023.
Almost three years later, the Renfe Warehouses have finally found an initiative that will put this industrial heritage site to use, just three years away from reaching its centenary. Specifically, the Seville City Council’s Governing Board agreed last Monday, under urgent procedure, to declare the ESA BIC Andalucía project of general interest. The initiative, promoted and managed by the European Space Agency (ESA), will allow the direct and free concession of several spaces within the building in the San Jerónimo district. The project has been presented by the Andalusian Foundation for Aerospace Development – Advanced Centre for Aerospace Technologies, and has been in development for some time with the involvement of both the Seville City Council and the Regional Government of Andalusia.
The transfer of this space within the Renfe Warehouses will allow the installation of an aerospace incubator from the European Space Agency (ESA), following an agreement between the agency and the governments of Seville and Andalusia. The original plan was to inaugurate it after the recent Holy Week, but the advancement of the Andalusian regional elections to May 17 and electoral regulations made it impossible to meet that timeline. In addition, the Spanish Government, through the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), also participates as a promoter of the programme within the national space policy framework, further strengthening Andalusia’s integration into the European network of incubators—something that is expected to be finalised shortly.
This is therefore a project that all parties involved have been working on for years and that is now entering its final phase, following the Seville City Council’s decision to declare it a strategic initiative. Recently, in February, the Andalusian Regional Government was already informed of the actions carried out by the Regional Ministry of University, Research and Innovation to launch this incubator, which is co-financed equally by the Andalusian Government and the European Space Agency. Both entities will contribute nearly €504,000 to support technology-based entrepreneurs, starting with six innovative space-sector business projects selected in the first call.
The allocation of part of the Renfe Warehouses to the ESA BIC Andalucía project, along with the proximity of the Spanish Space Agency headquarters, turns this area of San Jerónimo into Seville’s “aerospace hub,” consolidating the development of a district that had spent decades in a state of neglect. Now, the arrival of these first six companies will provide their founders with incentives and advisory support to transform their ideas into successful businesses, connecting the incubator with local industry, universities, R&D centres, public administrations, and investment firms, while also helping to retain talent that until now has had to look outside Seville for opportunities.
Source: ABC Sevilla
