SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 6th May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The City Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife announced on Monday that it has lodged complaints regarding the Draft Law for the Sustainable Planning of Tourist Housing Usage in the Canary Islands, where it is urging for a more precise delimitation of zoning and additional financial resources to be allocated to local authorities.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez has highlighted the challenges in implementing zoning regulations outlined in the preliminary draft due to the lack of consideration for the impact of holiday housing on sustainable mobility.
He emphasizes the necessity to ensure adequate financial support through the provision of funds to local entities to cover the costs associated with necessary modifications to planning instruments and new responsibilities to be taken on by municipal councils.
Among the objections raised is the concern that “the conversion of areas originally designated for residential use into intensive tourist areas poses a significant issue of particular importance, similarly to the transformation of tourist establishments into spaces initially intended for residential use.”
The mayor also acknowledges that “this is because the mobility patterns associated with each type of land use undergo significant alterations.”
Highlighting the impact on infrastructure and congestion, he explains that “transformation of a residential zone into a bustling tourist destination leads to a considerable increase in the flow of people, vehicles, and services, thereby potentially straining existing infrastructure and causing congestion on access routes and public transport.”
Bermúdez also points out that the reverse scenario of converting a tourist zone into a residential area could result in reduced demand for tourist services, consequently affecting the movement of people and vehicles in that area.
MODIFICATIONS IN LAND USAGE
Thus, from the standpoint of the City Council’s Mobility and Accessibility Service, it is deemed essential that the draft law incorporates provisions ensuring that competent authorities develop appropriate planning and regulations related to mobility concerning changes in land usage, whether from residential to tourist or vice versa.
Zaida González, Councilor for Urban Planning, emphasizes in the representations submitted to the Department of Tourism of the Canary Islands Government that “the aspect of financial sustainability for the enforcement of the law is highly significant, as the draft places significant emphasis on urban planning as the primary tool for organizing holiday rental usage in municipalities.”
She stresses that “the proposed zoning additions to planning require modifications to existing planning instruments, entailing a substantial financial burden for municipal councils.”
Recalling the stipulations of the law on municipalities in the Canary Islands regarding financial sufficiency in the face of new responsibilities attributed by the laws, the mayor asserts that “for the effective implementation of the law, the draft must ensure the necessary allocation of resources and support from the Autonomous Community.”
