Santa Cruz de Tenerife Set to Approve New Urban Plan by 2027
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is on track to finally approve its General Planning Order (PGO), which has been suspended since 2017 due to court decisions. The city council anticipates that the initial approval will occur in early 2027, with final approval expected by the end of the following term, more than a decade after the process began.
Carlos Tarife, the first deputy mayor, made this announcement during a press conference alongside the city’s mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez. However, the discussion omitted any reference to the previously discarded bike lane project, which was also scrapped by the courts due to procedural issues that cost the public millions. Bermúdez acknowledged that the lengthy planning process was due to legal requirements, with the tribunal indicating the plan must restart entirely, citing a lack of environmental assessment.
Bermúdez emphasised the urgency of modernising outdated plans, noting that the current regulations date back to 1992, with only minor updates in 2005. The mayor stated the delay in the planning process has hindered municipal projects, like the GO FIT gym in the Municipal Sports Pavilion.
Tarife expressed a desire for quicker urban planning laws and confirmed that initial approval is expected at the beginning of the upcoming term. He highlighted that these planning delays affect numerous developments, pointing to local supermarket projects among the impacted initiatives.
Reflecting on his administration’s performance, Bermúdez claimed that Santa Cruz is undergoing its most significant urban transformation in history, citing the acquisition of €64 million in European funding and the approval of the largest municipal budget to date. He also mentioned that these efforts have helped maintain one of the lowest tax pressures in the country.
In the past two years, the city has completed 30 construction projects—roughly one per month—with an additional 14 currently underway, worth a combined €51 million. On housing, the mayor noted that Santa Cruz accounts for 50% of public housing developments in Tenerife, with 300 new homes in progress and 1,500 undergoing rehabilitation.
Further developments include rehabilitating historic sites like the Masonic Temple and plans for future work at the Guimerá Theatre and Palacio de Carta. Tarife also mentioned the government’s aim to stabilize the local political landscape and prepare major strategic projects for the next term, including urban standardisation at Las Teresitas and enhancements to cleaning services in the boroughs.
