Candelaria Unlocks Thousands of Homes in Stalled Projects

Candelaria plans to build more homes in the coming years by finally moving forward with urban development projects that have been on hold since 2007. These projects were part of the town's General Urban Development Plan, created when José Gumersindo García Trujillo was mayor and designed by Estudio Luengo.

To make this happen, Candelaria needs developers to build on these sites, which cover a huge area of 1,510,887 square meters – much larger than El Mojón in Los Cristianos.

Many of these projects stopped during the 2008 financial crisis. Now, with the economy improving and a strong demand for housing in Tenerife, getting these projects built is more important than ever, even if it means private companies taking the lead. It's worth noting that at least 20% of the new homes in various parts of the municipality will be affordable housing (VPO).

Some developers have already started to speed up the necessary paperwork. Projects like Los Mangos (by Promotora Punta Larga) and Araya-La Rana (by Amador Díaz Ramos S.L.) are already well underway. However, the Samarines project, located south of the Basilica and east of the Industrial Estate, is still waiting for an environmental report from the Canary Islands Government, which was requested in February. An endemic snail, the "chuchanga," found in that area, could potentially cause delays. But Urban Planning Councillor Reinaldo Triviño points out that "the chuchanga was already there when the planning was drafted," and the Samarines area was already designated for development.

The Samarines project includes 1,038 homes, with 315 of them being affordable housing. It also features 544 outdoor parking spaces and will hand over 106,000 square meters of green spaces and communal areas to the City Council. This includes a large natural urban park, which will improve residents' quality of life and boost tourism. It's estimated these homes could house 3,322 people.

Councillor Triviño emphasized the importance of teamwork between the local government and the project's management committee (40% owned by Antonio Plasencia, with the rest by smaller owners and banks). They need to agree on the plans, how the plots will be divided, and where key facilities like the wastewater pumping station will be located.

Once the environmental report is approved – which they've been waiting for about ten months – the next steps for approving and starting the Partial Plan can begin. Interestingly, many people have already called the council asking about buying homes "off-plan," even though the project is still far from being built.

Meanwhile, the Los Mangos (PPL) and Araya-La Rana (ADR S.L.) projects, which are the most advanced in Candelaria's General Plan, have started development, though they are still awaiting municipal licenses.

Los Mangos covers 103,751 square meters. It borders the Brillasol urban area to the south, connecting through roads. To the east, it's next to the main highway, with plans to improve the service road and potentially include a route for the Southern Train (first discussed in 2006). To the north, it borders the Guaja development area. The developer Punta Larga S.L. owns a large part of the land, with four smaller owners holding the rest, mostly at the northern end. The remaining area is public water domain. This project could build 593 homes (25% affordable housing) of two and three floors, accommodating 1,896 people.

The Araya project, in the La Rana area next to the TF-28 road, spans 33,576 square meters and belongs to developer Amador Díaz. A year ago, he began clearing the site, extracting large stones that will be used for a semi-submerged breakwater in front of the Basilica. This area plans for 135 two-story homes, with space for 432 people.

Another major area to be developed is Punta Larga, divided into two sections. P1, mostly owned by Amador Díaz, is 34,376 square meters and could have 649 four-story homes for 2,077 residents. P2, owned by Antonio Plasencia and Rodríguez Mesa, is 78,435 square meters and could build 282 four-story homes for 902 people. Each home will be 100 square meters.

Beyond these large projects, the La Fuente area (PPL), located between the Los Menceyes ravine and the TF-1, is also awaiting development. Currently, a cycling circuit is leased there. Plans include 291 homes in four and five-story buildings for 931 residents. Additionally, the Afirama 1 and 2 sectors are planned for 333 and 270 homes respectively, accommodating 1,066 and 864 residents.

Guaja, a large plot above the highway next to Los Mangos, is still in its early stages. It covers 100,252 square meters and is planned for 60% construction.

The large urban park, where the dog park is now, is still on hold due to ongoing legal issues dating back to earlier planning stages. This has been one of the reasons the Punta Larga development hasn't been completed.

Candelaria isn't just focused on housing; it also wants to boost industry. To do this, it needs to develop the Valle de Güímar Industrial Estate, located above the highway on 114,355 square meters of industrial land. Councillor Reinaldo Triviño stated that this requires relocating the homes currently in that area to places like Icerse or other parts of the municipality. This area is also planned for the southern train corridor, the completion of a bridge to the Industrial Estate, and the channeling of wastewater from San Blas to the regional treatment plant (Edaru).