SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 6th May (EUROPA PRESS) –
A Non-Law Proposal (PNL) was presented by the Socialist Parliamentary Group during the Plenary Session of the Chamber, urging the Government of the Canary Islands to finalise the process that was initiated by the Government of the ‘Flower Pact’ for the acquisition of the land in La Tejita (Granadilla), where construction of a hotel is underway. The aim is to halt construction works and expand the environmental and landscape conservation of the Montaña Roja Special Natural Reserve.
The proposal, advocated by representative Patricia Hernández, calls for the completion of the acquisition process for the land in La Tejita, currently under hotel construction, in order to extend the environmental and landscape preservation of the Montaña Roja Special Natural Reserve.
According to Hernández, it is time to “avoid confusion” and determine “whether or not we want to halt the works and allow citizens to reclaim that space, the PSOE is firm on this matter.”
The proposal highlights that implementing this measure would involve suspending the works as demanded by a significant portion of the public, with negotiations commencing in 2022 along with corresponding budget allocations.
The Socialist Group underlines that the five-star hotel being built in La Tejita is situated adjacent to the Montaña Roja Special Natural Reserve, designated as a protected area within the NATURA 2000 NETWORK of the European Union. In 2017, the General Directorate of Sustainability of the Coast and the Sea approved the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for the Spanish Coast, with the main objective being to avoid any new infrastructure, constructions, or urban developments along the coastal strip, as stated in a release.
Within this strategy lies the option of land acquisition, a route chosen by the previous regional government due to the challenges of halting the construction of this complex through administrative means.
Precisely, these actions were initiated in 2022, with a provision in the 2023 Canary Islands budget for ‘Regeneration of Coastal Spaces’ amounting to over five million Euros.
GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONING STATUS
When the mode of purchase was agreed upon, it was requisite to restore the written-off credits, hence the decision to release funds from other allocations settled in May 2023, when the Canarian Government takes office “with its limited capacities.”
The Socialist Group commends the efforts made by the former Government, such as the submission by the property for preparing the report and purchase proposal by the Department of Ecological Transition; the formulation of a report on the necessity of acquiring the land through direct award, for the works at Hotel La Tejita; the submission by the Minister of Ecological Transition, Fight against Climate Change and Territorial Planning of a proposal to the Minister of Finance on commencing acquisition procedures, as well as the notification by the General Directorate of Heritage to the owners requesting an official appraisal and specific certifications.
Moreover, they recollect that, towards the end of the previous term, the file was “on the cusp of being reviewed by the Government”, which was mandated to conduct appropriate verifications of the documents presented by the developer to proceed.
The developer also submitted the requisite documents, and a credit modification was sanctioned at the Governing Council meeting held on 25th May 2023 to secure the funds necessary for the initial payments.
However, the socialists express discontent that all efforts towards acquiring the site have been “frozen” following the inauguration of the new Government in the current term.
“The developer even approached the present Government of the Canary Islands to continue with the process, but has received no written response,” they remark.
