“The Canary Islands are not for sale, they must be loved and defended”. This was one of the slogans echoed on Saturday by a large crowd gathered in Puertito de Adeje, situated in the southern part of Tenerife, to protest against the tourist project named Cradle of the Soul. They demanded the expropriation of this plot of land and presented alternative solutions for the area.
The group Save the Puertito had previously estimated the value of acquiring these lands to be around 14 to 18 million Euros, not 200 million. They emphasised that once the expropriation process of the lands in El Puertito’s Partial Plan is completed, these lands will become a part of the public land assets of the Adeje council or the public administration that procures them. They suggested that a Special Plan could be devised (potentially requiring a prior alteration of Adeje’s General Plan) to outline the new purpose for the lands.
Save the Puertito suggests extending the protected natural area from the Site of Scientific Interest of La Caleta to incorporate the lands previously owned by Cuna del Alma. This would involve various actions such as restoring areas disrupted by machinery, combating invasive species, establishing a network of trails…
They have also put forward other ideas such as establishing a marine classroom for studying the wildlife and vegetation in this region in the south of Tenerife. They believe that this could be set up in existing buildings like the Cuna del Alma sales office.
The association argues that this suggestion would align with the longstanding request from residents to provide amenities like sanitation, electricity, parking in the coastal town of Puertito. They propose that this can be achieved easily without the need for urbanising the area. The group insists that the Adeje Town Hall has a significant opportunity to change the course of the municipality and the island, moving towards a model where citizens are heard, the land is respected, and its values are utilised for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.
