The Urban Planning Governing Council of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council has urged the Municipal Environmental Assessment Commission to commence environmental procedures regarding the modification of the current General Planning Plan (PGO). The modifications aim to update the planning and align it with the municipality’s evolving needs until the new PGO, currently under preparation, is available.
Simultaneously, the Environmental Evaluation request has been submitted for the Special Protection Plan for the Barrio de los Hoteles-Pino de Oro Historical Complex and the Special Protection Plan for the Historic Complex of Antiguo Santa Cruz. Although in different phases, both approvals are being processed independently and will eventually be integrated into the final file.
The decision, approved by the Governing Council, was communicated to the City Council’s Governing Board. Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez considers progressing administrative procedures crucial for Santa Cruz’s urban planning and a positive development for the city.
Regarding the special plans currently under process, the study conducted by the Autonomous Environmental Assessment Commission of the Department of Ecological Transition, Fight against Climate Change and Territorial Planning of the Canary Islands has been referred to. The City Council is advised to incorporate the protection and conservation of heritage values into the objectives of the Special Plan. This is to ensure harmonization with the promotion and use of spaces within the historic complex, aiming for a unified design of the collective urban space.
The significance of conserving the irregular silhouette of the urban landscape in historical complexes is emphasized, calling for the establishment of design criteria for each space based on its individual values. Future proposals for building volumes, heights, and buildability in these heritage spaces will need to be analyzed case by case, plot by plot, and property by property to guarantee the preservation of the heritage values.
It is deemed essential to identify all assets declared as BIC and specify accessibility proposals to assess environmental effects. Furthermore, the alternatives considered must detail the plant species for the different garden spaces in these areas. An environmental monitoring program needs to be established to outline the planned monitoring measures.
The Strategic Environmental Study must incorporate actions to prevent, reduce, and if possible, compensate for any significant negative environmental impact of the plan application, including measures to mitigate its impact on climate change. This includes considerations for accessibility, street furniture, native vegetation planting, information signs, labeling, and the elimination of parking.
With regards to the special plans for Antiguo Santa Cruz and the Barrio de los Hoteles-Pino del Oro, the document proposes the formation of a multidisciplinary team specialized in historical heritage matters and a technical advisory body. It also suggests modifying the current terminology assigned according to the provisions of the Historical Heritage Law of the Canary Islands. The document warns that the Documentary protection category could allow the demolition of listed properties.
For the Barrio de los Hoteles-Pino del Oro, it recommends evaluating the effects of the proposed increase in buildability on existing heights from heritage and landscape perspectives. The interference of large tree species with the visual perception of listed properties and the preservation of specific natural heritage such as the Laureles de Indias groves and the landscaping of Plaza Weyler are highlighted.
The scope document of the PGO underscores the need to analyze geomorphology, hydrology, and climatology, while designating areas prone to natural processes like floods or landslides. It also stresses the importance of considering the protection objectives established in the Management Plan of the Anaga Special Conservation Area and the Anaga Massif Biosphere Reserve.
Approval
The Councilor for Urban Planning, Zaida González, affirmed that the initiation of these procedures signifies the area’s commitment to the approval of the planning. She also mentioned that both the draft and strategic environmental document have been submitted to the environmental body of the Santa Cruz City Council, highlighting that the approval of urban planning instrument projects falls under the jurisdiction of the full City Council.
The annulment of the 2020 PGO after a 2017 court order has kept the city’s urban planning based on a basic adaptation of the 1992 plan approved in 2005. This hiatus has affected the development of special plans such as the organization of the Barrio de los Hoteles-Pino del Oro, Antiguo Santa Cruz, or Las Teresitas beach.
