Yesterday, the plenary session of La Laguna approved a motion, introduced by Drago Verdes Canarias and featuring a replacement amendment from the governing group (PSOE-CC), aimed at managing the presence of franchises within the municipality, particularly in the historic centre. This motion advanced with the backing of PSOE, CC, Drago, and Unidas se puede, while Vox abstained and the PP opposed it. The approved text stipulates that the management office of the historic city will examine the feasibility of incorporating measures into the review of the Special Protection Plan for the area, specifically focusing on controlling the surge of franchised commerce to safeguard the character and distinctiveness of the historic city, thereby encouraging its growth to uphold the cultural and heritage identity that defines it.
Moreover, Drago had indicated in their original motion that the City Council holds the authority to establish a tax on franchised commercial activities in the municipality, aimed at compensating for the impacts these businesses create, as well as for their special utilisation of the public domain. They suggested that this new rate could be set at “1.5% of their gross profits, which is the maximum permitted under current legislation.”
Accordingly, the final agreed text confirms that a comprehensive legal examination of article 20 of Royal Legislative Decree 2/2024, dated March 5, will be conducted, with the objective of assessing the applicable regulatory framework to ensure that the proposed rates comply with existing regulations. This analysis will provide the basis for framing the proposed rates within legal boundaries and assuring adherence to the stipulations of the mentioned article.
The Councillor for Commerce, Estefanía Díaz, emphasised that “without intending to demonise anyone, we have been increasingly concerned for months” about the commercial landscape in the town, recognised as a World Heritage Site, “not solely due to franchises, but also due to other types of businesses that are emerging, and we have been contemplating how to navigate this issue.” She noted that revising the PEP could provide a means to regulate the types of businesses that are permitted.
“The aim is to balance the power dynamic between franchises and the small local enterprises, which are vital for fostering community, identity, and stable employment,” asserted Drago’s spokesperson, Alberto Rodríguez. However, both the PP and Vox opposed the potential implementation of this new municipal tax.
Urban Agenda
Furthermore, the Plenary also ratified the Local Urban Agenda for La Laguna along with its corresponding Action Plan, receiving support from the local Government (PSOE-CC), with Drago and Unidas abstaining, and the PP and Vox opposing it. The Councillor for Territorial Planning, Adolfo Cordobés, asserted that “the approval of this instrument will significantly benefit all residents of La Laguna,” and highlighted its necessity for accessing new calls for European funding programmes under Feder, as well as the EDIL Plan.
In opposition, Drago lamented the absence of information meetings at community centres to disseminate details about this agenda, while Unidas remarked that while the document contains many commendable elements, it also has deficiencies, such as an insistence on the urgent inclusion of the variant of the TF-5, among others, as indicated by Rubens Ascanio.
Meanwhile, Juan Antonio Molina (PP) denounced it as “a smokescreen” asserting that what citizens genuinely require is a General Planning Plan “that provides genuine solutions.” In a subsequent note, the city council emphasised that this document, possessed by only a handful of municipalities in the Canary Islands, will serve as a baseline for drafting the PGO and recommends nearly 120 initiatives to foster sustainable development within the town.
The proposals aim to limit land consumption, steering towards increased urban compactness, while focusing on housing, sustainable mobility, nature and countryside restoration, the establishment of an Innovation District, effective water resource management, and the implementation of waste and energy policies that collectively advance risk mitigation and local self-sufficiency.
The Urban Agenda also suggests a series of actions for La Laguna to assume a leadership role and facilitate a collaborative framework wherein the four municipalities in the metropolitan area (Santa Cruz, Tegueste, El Rosario, and La Laguna) can assess shared challenges and reach consensus, as they noted that the absence of coordinated planning results in dysfunctions and lost opportunities. “La Laguna will encourage localities to form a consortium or organisation best suited to achieving these essential objectives, thereby organising and leveraging synergies,” highlighted the mayor, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez.
This Local Urban Agenda arises from the extension and transformation of the Sustainable Development Model tasked by Urban Planning, with monitoring and endorsement from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda.
Other agreements
Additionally, the plenary session unanimously endorsed a joint motion to commence modifications to the PGO aimed at addressing the serious road safety and mobility issues on Bocatuerta Street, which links San Miguel de Geneto and San Bartolomé de Geneto. This decision is based on proposals discussed with the residents’ commission, which advocates for the construction of a new road in the vicinity, featuring two-way traffic, pavements, and services.
A motion from the PP was also sanctioned, with amendments from the government group and Unidas, to incorporate a green infrastructure plan into the future PGO, to have binding implications, integrating nature-based solutions within urban planning and revitalising the tree table.
