La Laguna Approves First Urban Environment Action Programme
The Urban Planning Management Council of La Laguna has unanimously approved, in an initial phase, the first Programme of Action on the Urban Environment (PAMU) for the municipality. This initiative will impact plots 15 and 16 of the Southern Sector Geneto 5, located in the El Gramal area. The proposed action aims to “reorganise this already urbanised area, incorporate residential use, and create a new landscaped public open space,” as announced by the local council on Wednesday.
### Project Overview
It is noted that the project has been promoted by TEPROAR S.L. and has received a favourable strategic environmental report from the Tenerife Environmental Evaluation Commission. It will now undergo public consultation before proceeding further. The council highlighted that this is the first time La Laguna has “applied this urban planning tool, as outlined in the Canary Islands Land Law, to intervene in consolidated urban areas through regeneration, renewal, and improvement of public spaces.”
### Residential Use
The PAMU proposes to “concentrate all the building capacity outlined in the current planning regulation into a single building,” situated on plot 15. This will incorporate residential use “in accordance with Decree Law 1/2024.” Meanwhile, plot 16 “will be entirely allocated to landscaped public open space, boasting over 10,138 square metres of green areas.”
From a technical perspective, the action allows for a density of 277 inhabitants per hectare, well below the legal maximum of 400. The gross building capacity stands at 0.83 square metres constructed per square metre of land, against a limit of 1.20. Furthermore, according to the documentation, the provision of open and community spaces exceeds legal requirements.
### Impact Assessment
The local council asserts that the intervention will not generate additional demands on infrastructure or public services, therefore avoiding negative impacts on local finances. The documentation also includes favourable sector reports related to public health, cultural heritage, roads, waste management, telecommunications, and safety, along with requirements from Defence and ENAIRE to be integrated into the project phase.
Among the included reports, the Canarian Health Service concludes that the initiative will positively impact factors affecting the health and wellbeing of the population, while the Insular Directorate of Cultural Heritage confirms that the area is heavily transformed and poses no heritage-related concerns.
