The Cabildo of Tenerife is the administration responsible for granting or denying the declaration of island interest requested by the promoter company, Disa Energía Renovable, SLU, for the two wind farm projects they wish to build in Fasnia and Güímar. The Güímar Popular Party challenged the president of the Corporation, Rosa Dávila, to bring the issue to the Plenary to assess the extent of the opposition of the Island Government to these initiatives.
Last Wednesday, the island Government reported the unfavorable report regarding the wind farms El Pilón I and II because their development area is a protected natural space with the category of Natural Monument included in the Natura 2000 Network. “We support the position of the municipalities and their residents and agree that this location is not suitable. Technical reports warn us of the consequences on the landscape and biodiversity, which would be very negative and irreversible,” defended Rosa Dávila.
A request from the PP
This position of the Cabildo has the support of the PP, a partner of CC in the governing group. However, that same day the Güímar Populars already questioned the extent of this agreement of the Insular Government Council and claimed that the president was lying. This was stated in a social media post by their municipal coordinator, Víctor González, who insisted that this decision must become a plenary agreement of the Cabildo itself.
So far, the Güímar Town Council Plenary has denied administrative authorization to build the wind farms based on the report prepared by the Municipal Technical Office. It determines the “illegality” of executing the El Pilón II project in Agache because it violates current legislation (articles 77 and 79 of the Land Law and the General Planning Plan, among others) as its construction is planned on rustic land of landscape and natural environmental protection, including the Malpaís.
The Councilor for Urban Planning, Airam Puerta, believes there are legal guarantees to deny authorization for these projects
Airam Puerta, the Urban Planning Councilor, explained that, in the case of the affected agricultural land, the Land Law establishes “an express prohibition” of its development “when it has the mentioned categories.” In his opinion, “there are legal guarantees so that this project cannot be developed in the Agache region, which occupies 55% of the land of the municipality of Güímar.”
The local Popular Party voted against denying administrative authorization for this project passing through Güímar because “it does not conform to the technical reality of the project,” “exaggerates the area of impact,” “the supports of the overhead line are outside the protected area” and “does not affect the Malpaís de Güímar”, arguments also used by the promoter.
Disa, willing to adapt the projects
Disa argues that the projects comply with current regulations, including the planning of Fasnia and Güímar, and that El Pilón II is projected on rustic agricultural land. They recalled that in the current phase of allegations “it is possible to introduce any modifications the Cabildo wishes to adapt to its preferences, despite complying with environmental regulations.”
El Pilón II is projected in the Agache region (Güímar) bordering the Herques ravine, although the electrical layout to evacuate the 8.5 megawatts from its two wind turbines requires 24 towers and a line to the Güímar Industrial Estate, much of it underground.
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