El Tanque Secures Funding for Crucial Town Planning Overhaul
El Tanque, Tenerife, receives a €187,705 grant to begin drafting a General Zoning Plan, aiming to modernize the town, attract investment, and improve quality of life following the opening of the Insular Ring Road.
El Tanque is changing. The new Insular Ring Road means it's no longer isolated, but a convenient stop between north and south Tenerife. Mayor Esther Morales says this offers a "quality of life" to residents.
To keep improving and become a modern town with opportunities for everyone, El Tanque needs a General Zoning Plan (PGO). This is a planning document the town has lacked, relying instead on older regulations from 1998, which have limited growth.
The Town Council has received a grant of €187,705 to begin drafting the PGO. This will cover the first two phases, expected to take 6-7 months. The entire plan will have eight phases, taking about three years to complete. It's a detailed document with a total budget of €568,072, which is too much for a small town like El Tanque to afford alone.
Morales explains that the new PGO will provide updated rules for the town's development. It will also plan for growth that is balanced and environmentally friendly, making it easier to attract investment, build infrastructure, and provide services. The plan will address current needs for housing, facilities, transportation, and sustainability.
"The PGO will allow us to find and change land to build, or even create streets that are already planned in the older regulations," she says. New roads are planned near the Town Hall, Avenida Colón, Avenida Príncipes de España, and the nursing home. Near the nursing home, a new road is planned connecting Calle Pedro Pérez González to Calle de Los Laureles.
The mayor also says there's a need for more recreation and parking areas, including electric vehicle charging stations. They also want to create areas for industrial use, "which means creating jobs," she emphasizes, specifically between the TF-82 and Calle Andrés Miranda Hernández.
"As mayor, my priority is providing essential services. But we also need this type of plan so the town can develop. Land here is quite affordable, and people want to stay and live here, which boosts the economy and services," concludes Esther Morales.