Adeje Begins Eviction of Tenerife’s Largest Irregular Settlement
Adeje City Council has ordered the eviction of hundreds of occupants from a large irregular settlement near the Cuna del Alma project as part of a broader strategy to reclaim protected land in southern Tenerife.
The housing crisis and pressure on rural land in southern Tenerife have reached a critical point. Adeje City Council has officially begun the process of dismantling the island’s largest irregular settlement, located near the Cuna del Alma development project. Supported by local, national, and regional police forces, this move is part of a new municipal strategy to reclaim protected and private land that has been heavily occupied in recent years.
Occupants have been given 15 days to remove their structures voluntarily. The site, which borders the La Caleta Site of Scientific Interest, is home to an estimated 300 to 500 people. Authorities have raised concerns not only about the precarious nature of the dwellings—which range from caravans to permanent structures with solar panels—but also about reports of illegal vacation and residential rentals. According to the Department of Security, these activities have led to sanitation issues, waste buildup, and sewage discharge, prompting the council to coordinate with the Canary Islands Agency for the Protection of the Natural Environment to ensure the eviction is carried out legally.
This is not an isolated issue; an estimated 4,000 people live in similar settlements along a 30-kilometer stretch between Granadilla de Abona and Adeje. Local officials note that after reviewing individual cases, most occupants are not in situations of social vulnerability, but are instead using these areas as second homes or for alternative lifestyles. As a result, social services will only prioritize those who demonstrate a genuine housing need as the council expands its action plan to other areas, including El Valito, Llano Negro, and Las Moreras.
This operation follows a recent intervention at the Los Vivitos settlement in Arona, signaling a shift in how tourist municipalities manage land. The council is using the 2020 clearing of Diego Hernández as a model, where early notification helped reclaim protected land with minimal social disruption. Adeje officials have warned that if the land is not vacated within the 15-day grace period, they will pursue judicial proceedings and forced evictions, particularly for structures that violate the Coastal Law by encroaching on protected maritime zones.