Las Eras development: the Arico municipality is accused of inaction.
The development of the Las Eras area in Arico remains unresolved due to the lack of clear regulations, property disputes, and accusations from the opposition of inaction by local authorities, although the Canary Islands government is offering a solution by expediting development procedures.
What will happen to the development of the Las Eras district is still unknown. It used to be just a settlement in a wasteland without any plan. And now it is an example of how difficult it is for the municipality of Arico to resolve development issues.
Andrés Martínez of the People's Party, who is responsible for this area in the municipality, said that they are "actively working to get the project off the ground." But the opposition party, the Canarian Coalition, accuses the local authorities of "inaction" and "paralysis."
Martínez says that the problem of Las Eras is that "there are no clear development rules."
If we go back 30 years, then instead of the General Plan, only auxiliary norms were in effect in the municipality. Therefore, the construction was carried out on empty land in a haphazard manner.
To somehow correct the situation, PERI (Special Plan for Internal Reform) was approved. It was supposed to enable the municipality to develop a normal development plan. But then another problem arose – the ownership of the land. "Some plots were sold even twice. Everything had to be checked in the Property Register," explains Martínez.
Then Cabildo carried out a redistribution of land, and the state company Gestur developed a construction project. Now, according to the adviser, the project is "ready," and Cabildo has already done everything necessary. It remains to obtain several reports from the municipality in order to finally put the issue to a vote.
Martínez admits that the most difficult thing is "still ahead" – to announce a tender and carry out the work. "The deadlines have been named many times, so I will not do it now. We hope to be in time by the end of our term," he noted.
He also added that the consideration of the case was delayed due to changes made by various administrations.
The Canarian Coalition, for its part, accuses the PSOE of turning Las Eras into a "symbol of Arico's failed development."
"In the two years of our work, nothing has been done, residents have not been informed, and their demands have not been met," they say.
The representative of the nationalists, Víctor García, emphasizes that the construction project, which is in the hands of Gestur, remains "blocked" due to the fact that the municipality does not provide reports. In addition, according to the Canarian Coalition, the municipality also "owes" money to this organization.
But there is also good news. It is said that the solution "will come from the decree on accelerating construction procedures, which was initiated by the government of the Canary Islands." This decree will allow "automatically accepting construction projects, such as Las Eras."