A proposal for a prestigious badge for exemplary practices, the promotion of energy efficiency, and strengthening community roles is on the table
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 6th March (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Department of Tourism and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands, led by Jéssica de León, has incorporated suggestions made by residents during the public consultation phase from 26th October to 26th November 2023 into the preliminary draft of the Law on Sustainable Planning for the Tourist Use of Housing.
In a report released on Wednesday on the Transparency Portal, the Ministry has detailed the 5,083 contributions received from the public, categorizing each one separately.
Furthermore, despite being submitted after the deadline, two proposals that were well-received by the experts have also been included.
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, the General Director of Tourism Planning, Training, and Promotion, expressed that “concerns raised by citizens such as sustainability, quality, and competitiveness have been taken into consideration.”
He also mentioned that the final draft of the law will be made available to the public in about two weeks.
Among the ideas brought forward by the public is the establishment of a unique or quality seal to recognize holiday homes that fulfill specific requirements related to facilities or amenities, as per a Ministry statement.
Another highlighted suggestion is to minimise the environmental impact of such accommodations by proposing mandatory energy efficiency measures like the use of renewable energy, waste segregation, adherence to noise regulations, and compliance with RITE regulations for thermal installations.
In addition, based on citizen input, it will be the responsibility of the community of property owners to decide on allowing the establishment of a holiday home to ensure it doesn’t disrupt the residents’ quality of life.
The report also discusses the recent rulings of the Supreme Court (TS), which will determine the feasibility and manner of implementing vacation rentals in buildings under the horizontal property regime.
PREVENT GENTRIFICATION
The Ministry emphasises that local authorities, through urban planning, will have the authority to restrict the clustering of vacation rental properties within the same vicinity to mitigate gentrification and commercialisation.
Moreover, the municipalities are tasked with specifying the maximum height or storey for housing holiday lets, a request echoed by numerous contributors.
If municipal regulations do not address certain scenarios, the forthcoming legislation spearheaded by the Government of the Canary Islands will encompass supplementary enforcement measures.
Additionally, as per public recommendations, each area’s carrying capacity will be determined based on sustainability metrics and permissible thresholds of change.
In this context, the study asserts that the future law must consider “the extent of human or tourist activity stress that each of the inhabited areas in the Canary Islands can endure, varying by the specific island, and should adhere to the legal framework concerning the constitutional right to decent, suitable, and affordable housing.”
