Arona Delays El Mojón Hotel Permits Until TF-1 Widening
Arona's Urban Planning Councilor Javier Baute announced that new hotel building permits in El Mojón will be delayed due to traffic concerns until the TF-1 highway's third lane is completed.
Arona's Urban Planning Councilor, Javier Baute, told Onda Tenerife that new hotels planned for the El Mojón area will have to wait for their building permits.
The delay isn't about planning rules, but traffic. The City Council doesn't want to cause huge traffic jams in an already busy part of town until the third lane of the TF-1 highway is put out to tender and built.
Baute explained that building a hotel requires far more construction work and deliveries than other projects. He said, "It's easier to build a Lidl or a McDonald's than a hotel," referring to the constant heavy material deliveries that would affect the highway.
The council currently has thirteen permit applications for El Mojón, including hotels, shops, and homes. While the area's planning restrictions have been lifted, Baute stressed that development must happen "gradually and coherently," working closely with other authorities. He emphasized that the City Council can't just approve permits without thinking about the real-world impact.
"We can't create a huge mess with trucks blocking the highway," he said, arguing that developers' rights must be balanced with residents' quality of life.
Baute noted that the tender for the TF-1's third lane was approved over two months ago. This means some projects, especially commercial ones, might get built sooner. He explained that these types of projects are usually completed in a few months and have a much smaller impact on logistics and traffic compared to a hotel.
Baute admitted that "a hotel would indeed significantly block the highway." He assured that he is constantly talking with the relevant authorities to coordinate timelines and reduce traffic problems.
When asked if hotels were among the thirteen applications for El Mojón, Baute confirmed they were. "We have hotel, residential, and commercial projects. It's quite varied," he stated.
However, the councilor made it clear that the City Council will proceed carefully. The goal is to allow development without overwhelming the existing infrastructure.