Court Blocks Santa Cruz Tree Removal for La Salud Parking Project
A local judge has upheld an injunction blocking the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council from removing trees for a new parking lot, citing a lack of sufficient environmental justification and documentation.
The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council’s urban development plans for the La Salud neighborhood have been halted once again by the courts. A local judge has upheld a temporary injunction blocking the removal of trees slated for destruction to make way for an 80-space parking lot at the site of the former San Gerardo church.
Magistrate Roi López Encinas rejected the city’s appeal, maintaining the suspension granted last week after the environmental group "Los Árboles Hablan" (The Trees Speak) challenged the project. The court’s decision centers on a lack of proper documentation: the city failed to provide the necessary health reports for the trees, which include protected Canary Island date palms.
The judge ruled that the city’s justification for cutting down the trees—simply claiming they were in the way of new ramps and parking—was insufficient. The court emphasized that the convenience of creating parking spaces does not outweigh the need to protect the city’s natural heritage.
The ruling highlights that proceeding with the project would have caused irreversible environmental damage, making any future legal review pointless. While the city can still appeal the decision, this ruling serves as a reminder that local authorities must provide rigorous technical and environmental evidence before carrying out projects that alter the urban landscape.