Telde Town Hall Opposes Proposed Propane Plant
Concerns Over Safety and Residential Impact
The proximity of the proposed propane plant, located approximately 175 metres from residential housing, presents “incompatibility with safety and habitability requirements, as well as a negative impact on the quality of life for residents,” according to a technical report issued by the Telde Town Hall in Gran Canaria. This report was released following a consultation by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Energy from the Government of the Canary Islands.
In a statement, the Council informed that the document originates from the Urban Planning department led by Juan Francisco Jiménez. It responds to a commitment made by Mayor Juan Antonio Peña, who “publicly pledged to provide information regarding this matter and to relay the municipal conclusions to the relevant autonomous body,” as highlighted in the communication.
Incompatibility with Local Planning
The municipal report concludes that the proposed site is “incompatible with existing planning,” as the affected parcel is designated in the General Planning Ordinance as General System land and rustic land intended for socio-sanitary facilities and to serve as a transitional zone between industrial and developable land.
Furthermore, the report emphasises that “it is not feasible to implement industrial infrastructure in the proposed area.”
Impact on Community and Tourism
The nearby residential properties and a future social and healthcare centre would, as per the report, create “incompatibility with safety and habitability requirements, as well as a detrimental effect on the quality of life for local residents.”
The project is also warned to be “harmful” to the tourism and economic development of the coastal region, where popular and strategically important beaches such as Melenara and Salinetas are located.
However, Telde Town Hall suggests that “viable alternatives” for such infrastructure exist in other areas of the municipality that are technically capable of managing energy evacuation and are situated away from residential zones.
Community Engagement and Next Steps
Juan Antonio Peña recalled that in July he participated in a meeting at the Energy Ministry’s headquarters with local residents, during which the General Director of Energy, Alberto Hernández, committed to visiting the municipality to explain the project directly to residents and to address unresolved queries alongside the technical team from the Government of the Canary Islands.
Peña pointed out that, to date, the Town Hall has not received any formal request for that meeting and reiterated its willingness to provide a venue, even a pavilion, for all interested residents to attend.
“The commitment of this government is to ensure that residents receive all information first-hand. We now hope that the Ministry will fulfill their promise and come to Telde to provide the necessary explanations. We trust that this September we will have a clear response,” stated the mayor.
With this report, the Town Hall officially communicates its opposition to the proposed propane plant in Salinetas to the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Energy, while reiterating its readiness to collaborate in finding alternative locations that reconcile energy needs with territorial protection, community safety, and urban planning within the municipality.
