Santa Cruz Approves Major Heritage Protection Plan

Santa Cruz de Tenerife has taken a big step to protect its city's history and character. The city council has given initial approval to a new list, called the Catalogue of Cultural Heritage Protection. This new list greatly increases the number of protected sites and buildings, creating strong legal rules to look after important parts of the city.

This document, which lists 787 items, has now been published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands, starting a public consultation period. This is a huge jump from previous lists; it includes 674 more items than the 2005 city plan and 518 more than the 2013 plan (which was later cancelled). The aim is to legally protect these properties and areas from future development like dividing land, new construction, or demolition. Only work meant to preserve and maintain them will be allowed.

Protection comes in three levels. 'Partial' protection covers only building fronts (facades). 'Environmental' protection is for things like trees or specific groups of items. 'Integral' protection fully safeguards the entire asset, making it "untouchable." Fifty-one items fall into this top category. These include well-known buildings like the El Tanque cultural centre, Almeyda Barracks, Víctor Cinema, the La Financiera building (now the Local Police headquarters), Nuestra Señora de África Market, the Masonic Temple, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Insular Palace. Other architectural treasures with integral protection are the Estévez School of San Andrés, San Joaquín Castle, Cobiella Mansion, Sixto Machado House, García Escámez Church, Baudet Theater, and the Government Presidency headquarters.

This catalogue protects more than just buildings. It also covers urban areas like the residential complexes of Casas Baratas de Salamanca Chica and the terraced houses of Ifara. Important civil engineering structures, such as the Serrador and Galcerán bridges, are included too. Historically significant public spaces like Alameda del Duque, Plaza del Príncipe, and Santa Lastenia cemetery are now protected. Key urban features like the Monument to the Fallen, the Stadium's Horseshoe Gate, and the Isabel II and Alameda fountains have integral protection. Notably, the Monument to Franco is not on this list, as the Cabildo (island government) is still deciding whether to declare it an Asset of Cultural Interest.

Natural heritage is also a focus. The list includes individual important trees, such as the Indian laurels in Plaza del Príncipe and La Rambla, and groups of trees in places like Parque Marítimo and Parque La Granja. If these trees fall, they must be replanted. The document also protects ethnographic heritage, like the Molino de Llano del Moro (a mill), and archaeological and paleontological sites. These include rock carvings and caves at El Humilladero, San Cristóbal Castle, and sites in Las Teresitas and Igueste de San Andrés.

Besides the almost 800 items in this new catalogue, 195 are already protected under the El Toscal Special Plan. More items are expected to be added from future plans for areas like Los Hoteles–Pino de Oro and Antiguo Santa Cruz, as well as specific plans for the Port and the Anaga Rural Park.

For one month, while the public and government bodies can submit their comments and objections, the city will stop issuing building permits for all properties on the list. This temporary halt, which could last up to two years or until the catalogue is fully approved, aims to prevent any permanent changes before the process is finished. Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez called this a historic process, stressing that the catalogue was developed with careful technical work and agreement, and is now open for public input to make it even better. Zaida González, the Councillor for Urban Planning, added that this is the city's first catalogue based on clear, objective rules, with a straightforward method and individual fact sheets for each item, which will make decisions more transparent and consistent.