The construction of the Motor Circuit at Atogo (Granadilla de Abona) is being approached with caution. While the Popular Party openly supports this project in the Cabildo of Tenerife and in the Granadilla City Council, where its councillor Marco Antonio Rodríguez asserts that “we are in favour,” Coalición Canaria backs it as a “first-rate infrastructure,” the Socialists express differing opinions.
In the case of the Cabildo, the PSOE opts to remain cautious regarding the progress of the works and the management of this project, which is still subject to court decisions. However, within the municipal corporation of Granadilla de Abona, its spokesperson, Jennifer Miranda, maintains the stance she advocated during her eighteen months in office: “The Motor Circuit will not resolve any of the problems facing the island of Tenerife, let alone those in the southern region. It is a project more suited to another era.”
Not a Priority
Miranda argues that “with the challenges we must face to change, strengthen and diversify our productive model, projects like this are heading in exactly the opposite direction.” Aware that the public is not interested in this initiative, she believes that “its execution will exacerbate many chronic issues in this area, such as mobility, the lack of housing for residents, or the precarious conditions of the working class.” In this vein, she maintains that although it may be “a priority for some politicians,” for the people of Granadilla and the residents of this island, it is not.
Construction Underway
Construction of the Motor Circuit commenced this summer on 650,000 square metres of land in the Los Duques area of Atogo, in the midlands of Granadilla de Abona. This project was initiated 35 years ago. Its execution was awarded on December 22, 2023 by the current island government (CC-PP) to Sacyr Construction and Servicios Bahillo for 44.1 million euros, although the governing group during the 2019-2023 term (PSOE-Cs) had nearly finalised the file.
This work is affected by four complaints lodged by the environmental group Tenerife Association of Friends of Nature (ATAN). Two of these already have appealed court rulings. One declared the expiration of the environmental impact report, while another ruled the opposite, stating that it remains in force, with two awaiting judgment.
No Final Sentence
The judicial situation, without a definitive ruling, allows the island government to defend the commencement of the works, as well as the obligation to comply with an administrative concession initiated by the previous leadership of the Cabildo de Tenerife and completed by the current administration.
First-Class Facility
In this context, the mayor of Granadilla de Abona, José Domingo Regalado, chooses to make an institutional declaration, stating that “the construction of the Circuit is an island project that will be located in our municipality and which will meet the demand of motor sports enthusiasts from the island and Canary Islands, who have been advocating for decades for a first-class sports facility.”
