The regulation of economic activity is a question of the utmost relevance in urban planning as urbanism meants to support coexistence of citizens necessities while preserving the health of the commercial economic fabric. In this context, the model of diversity embodied by the city of Barcelona (paradigm of other European cities where commercial and leisure activities play a fundamental role in constructing the social, civic and economic values) is under discussion from the urban and political perspective. The saturation of public access activities, food retailers and tourist services -consequence of previous boosting liberal policies- is affecting the habitability and the quality of life of the residents. Using the new land-use plan of Ciutat Vella (Barcelona, Spain, 2018) as a case study, we intend to frame the regulation of public access and commercial activities in an international context, explain how this particular type of plan works and discuss the circumstances of its implementation.