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The Cabildo of Tenerife has included three allocations totalling over 13.5 million euros in the 2025 island budget to initiate work on the contentious motor circuit planned for the Atogo area within the Granadilla municipality. According to reports by Europa Press, the budget allocates 13.3 million euros for the initial phase of the project, 100,000 euros for the second phase concerning northern accesses, and an additional 104,328 euros for the development of the international park.
This infrastructure accounts for just over 17% of the budget allocated to the mobility sector, which totals 78.4 million euros. The work has been awarded to the Temporary Business Union (UTE) Sacyr Construction SA-Contratas y Servicios Bahillo SL for a sum of 44,165,489 euros, with an estimated duration of 40 months. The construction involves the channeling of three ravines, as well as the development of removable grandstands, the speedway, a parking area, and an autocross track.
The Imastanen social archeology collective has identified the presence of multiple archaeological sites, which may be impacted by these developments. The group has alerted the insular Heritage department about the situation and its duty to safeguard this indigenous heritage. In fact, following the necessary authorisations to conduct the analysis, a total of 19 archaeological units were identified last year, comprising 17 ethnographic and 3 architectural units.
An expired impact statement
A further controversy has arisen surrounding the substantial expenditure on promotion. The macroproject is subject to an lapsed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), issued eleven years ago and valid for just five years.
According to the EIS for the Motor Circuit, it stipulates that if construction does not commence within five years of notification, it will no longer be valid. The Cabildo maintains that the works began within this timeframe, but were halted due to issues attributed to the construction firm. Consequently, the island corporation argues that a new EIS is unnecessary.
The initiative to establish a motor circuit has faced decades of planning challenges and delays, with the first proposal dating back to 1990. Nonetheless, it was not until 2012 that the project was formally introduced. The circuit is projected to measure four kilometres in length and feature 16 turns, with the capacity to achieve speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour.
Numerous scientists and environmentalists have raised alarms regarding the potential environmental and societal repercussions stemming from the construction of the circuit. They also emphasise the presence of tabaibal-cardonal in the vicinity, a species endemic to the Canary Islands.
Beyond the risk posed to flora, avian species such as the endangered tagarote falcons and several others, including short-eared owls and shrikes, view this construction as a threat to their habitats, in addition to the alterations it could impose on their feeding and breeding practices.
Strategic projects
As reported by Europa
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The corporation has allocated just over €1.2 million in the island’s budget for the planning and advancement of strategic projects of island significance, which is a 12.9% increase compared to this year. In total, the Cabildo has pinpointed eight strategic initiatives: the marina at Puerto de la Cruz; DISA-Granadilla; project SP1-01, Granadilla Industrial Estate; the Adeje film city; the expansion of Tenerife South airport; the marine theme park in Guía de Isora, and three newly added projects including the new Insular Slaughterhouse, the Añaza social and health centre, and the review of the Puerto de la Cruz Modernisation Plan.
Regarding the Slaughterhouse, the budget report specifies that it is a project of “particular significance” for the island’s livestock sector, initiated by the Ministry with Special Delegation in Primary Sector and Animal Welfare. The main processing and approval phases are expected to take place in 2025, including the endorsement of its environmental aspects.
The modernisation plan for Puerto de la Cruz examines a variety of facilities, equipment, and infrastructures that are “crucial” for the economic, social, and urban development of the municipality. The Cabildo acknowledges that these entail “complex processing” due to the involvement of multiple public administrations, which necessitate contracting external services related to both the drafting of the project and the acquisition of sectoral authorisations or public concessions.
Similarly, the processing for the ‘New Añaza Socio-Health Centre Project’ has commenced. This initiative aims to establish a comprehensive healthcare system of supramunicipal or regional importance serving the metropolitan area of Tenerife. Its purpose is to address the “very serious deficit” in the public offering of social and health services for the elderly, which has arisen due to the rising demand for care placements and the limited resources available on the island of Tenerife, particularly in the metropolitan region.
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