La Laguna Launches Urban Transformation Plan to Tackle Housing Crisis and Boost University Integration
La Laguna is amending its urban development plan to repurpose university land for social housing, sports facilities, and sustainable infrastructure to alleviate the local housing crisis and strengthen its identity as a university city.
La Laguna is planning a major urban transformation to strengthen its identity as a university city and ease the local housing crisis. The city’s Urban Planning Department has begun the process of amending the General Development Plan to repurpose underused land owned by the University of La Laguna (ULL) for public facilities, social housing, and recreational spaces.
The project focuses on reorganizing the Anchieta, Guajara, and Geneto campuses. By building student residences in Anchieta and Guajara, the city aims to reduce the competition between students and local families for rental properties, which has significantly driven up housing costs in the area.
The plan also addresses a long-standing need for large-scale sports facilities. A new multipurpose complex is proposed for Las Mantecas in Guajara, designed to host major regional and international events. This move is intended to provide a dedicated venue for large gatherings, relieving pressure on the city’s historic center, which is a World Heritage site.
Sustainability is a key priority. The proposal aims to better integrate the campuses into the city by creating green corridors and improving paths for pedestrians and cyclists, while removing roads that pose safety risks to students. In Geneto, the plan focuses on landscape improvements that bridge the gap between urban and rural areas without sacrificing open space.
The city council expects the proposal to pass its initial approval stage by the first half of 2027. This initiative reflects a commitment to a "compact growth" model, which prioritizes social cohesion and the efficient use of existing land over expanding into new rural areas.