Canary Islands Community Transforms Industrial Site into Sustainable Orchard Park

Valle de Guerra in the Canary Islands has become a prime example of how community-led urban planning can work. The local "Pueblo Unido" association has successfully shifted from simply opposing traditional development plans to actively creating their own agricultural park. Known as the "Orchard Park" (Parque de las Huertas), this project transforms a 60,000-square-meter site in La Laguna—land previously earmarked for industrial use—into a community-focused green space.

The project is the result of thirteen years of neighborhood activism centered on the theme "The town we desire." Work is currently underway on a 4,000-square-meter pilot area, donated by eight local landowners. Led by architect Alejandro Rodríguez and a team of specialists, the design focuses on sustainability and heritage. It includes restoring traditional stone walls and irrigation channels, as well as planting a native forest, creating a wetland, and building a greenhouse to serve as an outdoor classroom.

The CajaCanarias Foundation provided the funding for the initial infrastructure, allowing for the construction of wooden pathways and irrigation systems since January. The team plans to begin agroecological planting this October, aiming to preserve the area’s rural history while supporting local farming.

Last Saturday, the association presented their progress to La Laguna’s mayor, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, and other local officials. The goal is to establish a public-private partnership that would eventually allow the park to expand to its full 60,000-square-meter vision. This initiative proves that urban planning can be driven by community consensus, prioritizing sustainability and landscape preservation over the industrial development that once defined the future of this area.