The Urban Planning Department of La Laguna City Council has finalised the project for the subsidiary demolition of the old tourist establishment, the Neptune Hotel, situated on the General Highway of Bajamar, which has been declared in a state of Ruin. The project estimates the work costs at €736,703.85, with a projected duration of approximately six months. The autonomous agency is in the process of completing the documentation to contract the execution of the work.
This former tourist complex, constructed in 1959, comprises a hotel with nearly one hundred rooms and 27 independent bungalows, all currently in a state of neglect following its closure in 2007.
The mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, notes that this project “has involved a lengthy and intricate administrative process, owing to both the nature of the buildings and the changes in ownership that have occurred, alongside the necessity to address the legal proceedings initiated by these parties”.
“For years, we have witnessed the construction and its surroundings progressively deteriorating, not only tarnishing the image of this significant area within the municipality but also posing a safety risk to pedestrians and residents. Now, at long last, we are pleased to confirm that work will commence this year, allowing us to resolve this pressing issue,” states the mayor.
Adolfo Cordobés, the Councillor for Territorial Planning and Director of Urban Planning Management, emphasises the “particular complexity of the operation due to the necessary security measures, which influence the overall costs and raises it to nearly €737,000”.
According to the mayor, “we are currently finalising the documentation to contract the demolition of the complex, which is estimated to take six months as per the project and will be subject to public tender in the coming months. The expenses for both the drafting of the project and the execution of the works will be accounted for by the property’s holding company”.
It is important to note that the complex was declared legally in a state of ruin in May 2019, following which the maintenance of certain precautionary measures was mandated during the processing of the case. The state of ruin indicates that the owner must decide whether to demolish the complex or undertake full rehabilitation.
A few months later, in August 2019, the administration was notified of a change in ownership of the complex. The new acquiring company expressed the intent to consider rehabilitation on several occasions; however, these intentions were not substantiated through the submission of the requisite projects.
Consequently, in August 2023, due to the failure of the owners to either demolish the complex or rehabilitate it, the Urban Planning Management decided to proceed with the subsidiary execution for the demolition of the building, approving the provisional cost settlement for both the drafting of the demolition project and its execution, to be charged to the property’s holding company.
