Canary Islands High Court Orders Arico Council to Begin Long-Delayed Abades Infrastructure Project

The High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) has issued a sharp rebuke to the Arico City Council regarding its management of urban planning. The court has ordered the local government to finally begin urbanization work in the Canteras del Sol area of Abades, ending years of administrative delays that have left property owners in limbo.

This ruling overturns a November 2024 decision that had previously cleared the City Council of responsibility. The TSJC noted that while the project was approved in 2013, no work has been completed—despite residents paying nearly 1.5 million euros in 2017 to fund the project.

The court found that the City Council failed to act on a 2007 mandate and blamed its inactivity on internal bureaucracy and disputes with the project’s drafters, Gestur. The judges rejected these excuses, stating that the delays are entirely the fault of municipal management. As a result, the area has been left without basic services, such as lighting, sanitation, and paved roads, for over a decade.

The TSJC clarified that the City Council is solely responsible for obtaining the necessary permits and cannot blame third parties for the lack of progress. The court has set a strict timeline: the Council must begin the work within one year and provide quarterly progress reports to the Court of First Instance. If the Council fails to comply, it will face financial penalties.

The ruling emphasizes that providing these essential services is a legal obligation, not a choice. In addition to the order to complete the infrastructure, the City Council has been ordered to pay legal costs, though it retains the right to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.