SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 16 Sep. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Government of the Canary Islands plans to complete the administrative processing of the construction project for the new Palace of Justice in Santa Cruz de Tenerife this year in order to put the works out to tender in 2023.
This was announced this Friday to journalists by the Deputy Minister of Justice, Carla Vallejo, after exposing the project to the Minister of Justice, Pilar Llop, stressing that this plan is the “most ambitious” of her department along with that of digital transformation .
It has recognized that it is a “complex administrative procedure” and “adaptation to planning” of the city in the Cabo Llanos neighborhood, given that the objective is for justice to have the facilities “that the citizens deserve” and that the city has more green spaces through urban reorganization.
Vallejo has indicated that the administrative procedure “is already in process” and allegations have been received from all the administrations involved, such as the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council or the Cabildo, given that the project affects the burying of the tracks.
When all the allegations are studied, a final document will be drawn up that will be submitted to the Government of the Canary Islands for final approval.
The minister congratulated the Government for leading a “courageous project” that will also serve to recover part of the “heart” of the city for citizens with green areas and in a place that is “wasted”.
He has valued that the urban reorganization of the capital is done through the transformation of an “essential” public service such as justice and that it is done at an “opportune moment” because at the national level work is being done on the reform of the entire judicial system.
In his opinion, this project “is going to be an opportunity to show” that judicial infrastructures are basic in a city, so he expects a “boost” from all the public administrations involved.
AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE THE ‘AUDITORIUM’ BUILDING
Vallejo has also referred to the purchase of the ‘Auditorium’ building which is owned by the City Council.
He has pointed out that the council has a “firm offer” from the Executive, either to buy it or rent it, and since it is already built, with some adaptation works it could come into use within a year or a half year, hosting several of the courts that are scattered throughout the city.
The deputy minister has indicated that they are “waiting” for the City Council’s response to conclude the file.
The City Council has issued a statement in which it acknowledges that together with the General Directorate of Heritage of the Government of the Canary Islands, they continue to make progress in formalizing the sale of the building in the coming months to become a future courthouse.
The processing of this file is in the hands of the Municipal Heritage area and “priority is being given to this operation that comes to respond to a demand from the different judicial bodies given the immediate need to have more space for the development of their work” , deepened the mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez.
He also stated that “this operation is being carried out while work continues on the future City of Justice, which will be located in the same area of the capital.”
On the other hand, he insists that it will also be possible to improve the attention to users of the different judicial bodies and the working conditions of the workers, as well as of the professionals who provide their services in the different bodies.
The decision to sell this building to the Government of the Canary Islands was finally made by the council last June and announced after various meetings with representatives of the Justice administration on the islands.
Bermúdez has shown “the predisposition of this government group to help improve the working conditions of professionals in the sector, and of the citizens who make use of it” and has recalled that “this is a first step” that they hope to formalize ” sooner”.
For his part, the Councilor for Municipal Heritage and Finance, Juan José Martínez, has stated that the service “is completing the file, which basically consists of updating the appraisal of the file, because the current one dates from 2019″ and argued that ” Once finished, the process to complete the sale will be quick, taking into account that there is already recent experience of selling the building located on 3 de Mayo Avenue to the Government, which is currently the headquarters of several Executive Ministries” .
