SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 14th April. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Official College of Architects of Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro (COA) has set a goal in the short term to arrange an informative and deliberative session regarding the recent approval by the Government of the Canary Islands of the decree law on urgent measures in housing. This initiative was proposed during a meeting between representatives of the Canary Islands Council of Colleges of Architects, of which the COA is a member, and the Department of Public Works, Housing, and Mobility of the Government of the Canary Islands. The meeting was attended by Mari Nieves Febles, the dean of the COA, alongside Juan Torres, the dean of the Official College of Architects of Gran Canaria (COAGC).
Mari Nieves Febles stated, “At the COA, we have been diligently analysing and evaluating the content of this new decree law, the outcomes of which have been compiled into a report sent to the Ministry.” Febles highlighted the necessity for organizing this session due to the unique processing of the decree, which did not allow for the submission of objections prior to its approval. “It is essential to have this session so that the architects behind the decree can explain the measures taken, while also giving the professional sectors an opportunity to raise any potential issues arising from the implementation of these measures,” she added.
Moreover, the COA dean believes that the measures implemented in this regard should not only aim to ensure an adequate supply of public and affordable housing but should also meet standards of quality, efficiency, diversity, and balanced location to promote social cohesion. Febles stressed, “Housing has undergone significant evolution in response to new social needs, with diverse homes tailored to different lifestyles, sizes, and environmental interactions; ultimately, homes are spaces that significantly impact people’s well-being and are integral elements in societal spatial structuring.”
EXAMINATION OF THE NEW LEGAL FRAMEWORK.
According to Mari Nieves Feble, the session should focus on examining the challenges related to the implementation of the measures outlined in the decree law, such as the utilization of endowment land for publicly promoted protected housing, the use of facilities for protected housing, the direct execution of general endowment systems for protected housing within developable land sectors, the compatibility of residential and tourist uses on undeveloped land, altering plot uses to residential, refurbishing unfinished housing stock, reclaiming residential developable land previously classified as rural due to incompatibility with current Land Law, the role of municipalities in decree execution, and any potential conflicts with other regulations like those linked to strategic environmental evaluations.
The dean further mentions that this conference aims to be a part of a long-term knowledge exchange and analysis process with the Ministry of Public Works, Housing, and Mobility, where the COA can provide the professional insights of its members and field experts. “Professional viewpoints are vital, especially in such a critical domain as housing. We anticipate the opportunity for participation and offering recommendations in shaping the future amendment to the housing decree, a pivotal regulation in defining decent housing,” Febles remarked. The objective of this event is to strengthen the COA’s involvement in participating in the formulation of legal provisions pertaining to housing, architecture, and urban planning.
