The Government Council of the Canary Islands made a decision yesterday to halt planning in the vicinity of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Refinery. This is a preliminary measure to initiate a public participation process that will facilitate the creation of new urban planning regulations aimed at shaping development through to 2027. The integration of this industrial land into the municipality will support the establishment of a new “sustainable” city, as outlined in the Santa Cruz Verde 2030 project.
The Government spokesperson, Alfonso Cabello (CC), revealed that the project represents a “blank slate and an opportunity” to generate employment and foster new areas of economic activity across approximately 570,000 square metres, with 67% designated for public use, in accordance with the protocol signed in 2018 between Cepsa and the Canarian institutions.
“This is the most extensive urban recovery initiative ever undertaken in the Canary Islands and ranks among the most significant in Spain. It is unprecedented in Europe for an oil refinery to be dismantled to facilitate the creation of a city,” he stressed.
Cabello mentioned that the planning suspension, which will expedite the process, is in accordance with Article 168 of the Land Law and has been initiated at the request of both the Santa Cruz City Council and the Island Council. The measures will be developed over the next two years in various phases: gathering information; forming participatory committees and workshops; addressing amendments and evaluating the feasibility of proposals.
Upon completion of the participatory processes aimed at defining a suitable model, and following the period for objections, the final planning document will be ratified. This document will outline an urban area designated for housing, green spaces, facilities, and commercial activities, with the goal of reclaiming the coastal strip at the southern entrance of the city, in addition to the placement of strategically significant infrastructures pertinent to the island, such as those related to transport and mobility.
Santa Cruz Verde 2030 “is the most significant urban planning venture ever undertaken in the Canary Islands,” Cabello underscored, and an office will be established to coordinate the efforts of the various ministries involved.
In a related statement, the mayor of the capital, José Manuel Bermúdez, emphasised that “an exciting journey commenced in 2018 is continuing, adhering to the fundamental principles set forth by the Santa Cruz Verde 2030 project, which involves dismantling a refinery to create a sustainable city.”
The councillor clarified that the process “is being conducted in partnership with the landowner, Cepsa, responsible for soil decontamination and infrastructure dismantling. With the implementation of Article 168, a participatory process will allow citizens to contribute their ideas, transforming what are currently chimneys, pipes, or refining units into community-oriented uses, including green spaces, roads, offices, homes, and sports and cultural facilities, all adhering to sustainability and environmental respect.”
