Garachico Restarts Renovation Plans for Former Banana Packing Plant

Work has resumed on the renovation of the former Fast banana packing plant in Garachico after a long administrative delay. The City Council has opened a new 295,000-euro tender to draft the technical project. This follows the cancellation of the previous attempt, which was stalled by requirements from the Tenerife Island Council’s Historical Heritage department and a legal challenge from the Official Association of Architects.

This 4,000-square-meter property is a vital part of the town’s urban planning due to its prime location on the seafront. The local government (CC-PSOE) plans to transform the site into a multi-purpose cultural and social venue. The challenge lies in modernizing the space while meeting strict heritage guidelines—rules that were not in place when the town purchased the building for one million euros in 2017.

The new tender outlines a major renovation, including partial demolition, structural reinforcement of the facades, and the removal of old roofing and asbestos. The plan also requires preserving key historical features, such as the metal trusses, original pillars, and the interior office balcony, while allowing for new openings in the walls facing the sea and the Castle of San Miguel.

This project highlights the common hurdles in restoring industrial heritage in the Canary Islands, where overlapping regulations from various authorities often slow down public works. While the surrounding area was improved with a new plaza in 2021, the main building is still waiting for a final solution. Mayor Heriberto González emphasized that working on a site of such historical importance requires careful planning, noting that the building’s shift from having no official protection to being strictly regulated has significantly impacted how the space can be used.