Territory and Planning. Two concepts that go hand in hand in Tenerife, an island with 49% of its surface –2,036 square kilometers in total– protected and untouchable. Additionally, 72.4% of the land, 7 out of every ten square kilometers, has ecological value, which limits the possibility of urbanization and housing developments, the main problem for the residents of Tenerife –944,000 inhabitants, 464 per square kilometer compared to the regional average of 295–. The Study by the Government of the Canary Islands for the Demographic Challenge Strategy includes urban planning for the municipalities (31) over 15 years, which prevents having a fundamental tool.
Imbalance
The study details that on the island, 28.3% of the surface corresponds to municipalities facing a demographic challenge related to depopulation or stagnation, while 37.2% is shown as an intensely occupied space. The 14 municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants cover 28% of the territory but only concentrate 4.66% of the population. The densely populated represent 37% of the surface with 34% of the inhabitants. High concentration and significant territorial occupation with an imbalance between intensely occupied areas and depopulated areas.
Plans
The urban planning instruments are on average more than 15 years old, with some exceeding 30. 65% of the municipalities developed them between 1997 and 2007. Most town councils need updating due to their poor adaptation to current regulations.
The Expert
Eduardo Risueño is a law graduate and urban planning technician. He asserts: «It is evident that the aging of urban planning does not favor the availability of either free or protected housing».
Examples
He cites examples such as the Planning Subsidiary Regulations of Arico (1997) and Vilaflor (1998), as well as the Basic Adaptation Documents of the General Planning Plan of La Laguna (2005) or Santa Cruz (2006). He explains that the reservation of public housing of 40% of residential buildability in new urbanization actions (those that transform rural land into urbanized land, the new city) imposed by state land legislation since 2023 under the Housing Rights Law «finds few real cases where applied because embarking on such a project is, as we see, reckless».
Reserve
The former Urban Planning manager of Santa Cruz believes that «in a territory like ours, where everything or almost everything must be protected, we are left with the reservation of 20% buildability in redevelopment or renovation actions on already anthropized land (the established city looking to rejuvenate).»
Vacation
A situation «not favored by the attraction of our climate, as in addition to professional tourism, complementary tourism is added, that of the small owner wanting additional income by changing the destination of their property from residence to vacation, exercising the right enshrined in the Constitution, as the social function of property has not yet fully matured».
Developable
Risueño details:«I agree with the logic of extending the life of the old developable lands by 5 to 10 years, until September 1, 2027, at which point they will become common rural land unless developed beforehand». This was included in the Canary Islands Climate Change Law of 2022 «without much justification, perhaps because it was evident».
Modifications
The expert concludes: «To be optimistic, I support the modifications of the general plans that some town councils are starting to obtain 40% protected housing and 60% free housing, which we Tenerife and Canary Islanders demand so much».
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