Santa Cruz de Tenerife Triggers Emergency Measures to Reopen Benijo Beach

Bureaucratic delays are currently the main barrier to reopening Benijo beach in Anaga, which has been closed since July 8, 2024. To break the deadlock, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council has triggered an emergency mechanism through its Governing Board. This move is intended to fast-track the permits required from the General Directorate of Coasts and Management of the Canarian Maritime Space, which must approve the project to stabilize the nearby slopes.

While this is not an emergency construction order, it is a legal step designed to speed up the necessary regional authorizations. The work is urgent because the risk of rockfalls remains high; the access road had already been struck by falling rocks before the closure. Although the City Council has installed fencing and warning signs, the situation remains dangerous. Since the closure began, police and emergency services have recorded over 50 incidents of people bypassing the barriers via unauthorized trails, proving how difficult it is to secure such a rugged natural area.

The stabilization project, finalized in December 2024, has a budget of 2.1 million euros, already funded by the Canary Islands Government. However, progress stalled after the City Council formally requested permission to use the coastal land in November 2025. Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez and Councilor for Public Services Carlos Tarife are now pushing this emergency strategy to balance the need for public safety with the strict legal requirements of coastal management.

This situation underscores the difficulty of managing protected natural sites where public safety concerns often clash with complex jurisdictional rules. While waiting for final approval to begin the stabilization work, the City Council continues to patrol the area to prevent visitors from entering and risking a serious accident. The emergency declaration is the local government’s final effort to resolve the issue and safely reopen one of Tenerife’s most iconic beaches.