Tenerife Greenlights Environmental Review for Adeje Film City Project

Tenerife is moving ahead with the "Adeje Film City" project, a major film and TV studio complex. This initiative, also known as the Imagine Green Studios Cultural and Audiovisual Complex, will cover 400,000 square meters and is expected to create 15,000 jobs. The project recently received approval from the Cabildo Plenary (Tenerife's governing body) to begin its environmental assessment with the Tenerife Environmental Assessment Commission (CEAT). This project is considered vital for the island, aiming to build a complete cinematic hub in the south of Tenerife, offering facilities for production, post-production, training, and cultural services.

The plans for the Film City, located within the Fañabé Industrial Estate, are extensive. They include eleven indoor sound stages of various sizes, six of which are double-height, along with dedicated areas for technical crews and production teams. A large, covered aquatic sound stage, spanning 2,250 square meters, is also planned. Beyond the studios, there will be permanent outdoor set areas and support facilities like workshops for props and set design, wardrobe departments, dressing rooms, dining halls, and logistics services.

The complex will also feature administrative offices, catering facilities, and technical rooms. A comprehensive post-production center and digital laboratory will be included, equipped with rooms for editing, sound mixing, and color grading. There will also be dedicated spaces for visual effects, augmented reality, and research and innovation activities.

A key part of this project is its focus on training, making it particularly appealing to young people interested in the film industry. Plans include a certified vocational training center dedicated to audiovisual production skills. This center will train future technicians and professionals – such as lighting technicians, art directors, filmmakers, post-producers, designers, carpenters, artisans, and makeup artists – ensuring they have the high-level qualifications needed for major productions. These skilled individuals will work alongside directors, screenwriters, editors, camera operators, and administrative staff, filling all the essential roles required for audiovisual projects, and will also have opportunities for further academic development.

The Adeje City Council, under Mayor José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, is strongly committed to this project, which is undergoing a two-stage environmental assessment. The urban plan for the area was submitted for its initial strategic environmental assessment in December. Now, the council is pushing for the start of a simplified environmental assessment specifically for the Film City project itself.

Alicia Leirachá, the Island Director of Strategic Projects, commended the collaboration with the project's developers, stating that the initiative is being processed "with all guarantees." She highlighted its dual strategic importance: it will boost and develop the film industry in Tenerife, while also contributing significantly to the island's economic and cultural growth through job creation and specialized training in the sector.

Ms. Leirachá explained that "measures have been adapted to simplify the complex processing and streamline the procedure," with support from the island's governing bodies. However, she concluded, "the impetus basically depends on the private promoter."

The company behind the project, Imagine Green Studios SL, had to update its technical documents to meet the requirements set by the environmental authorities during the initial strategic assessment of the urban plan.