Plans to develop a prime location in south Gran Canaria for new hotels continue to hit the rocks over two decades after they were first tabled.
The project by a well-known hotel and construction firm aims to build several large hotels in the Meloneras area but has been plagued by obstacles, the latest being an order by the Canarian government to void the urban planning provisions approved by San Bartolomé de Tirajana council, which supports the 700 million-euro project.
According to the council, the recently-approved provisions give the definitive green light for the construction of a total of 1800 rooms in five hotels, along with extensive green spaces, wider roads and 300,000 square metres for sporting education and other facilities. An estimated 900 direct and 1500 indirect jobs could be generated by the development.
However, in the latest twist to the saga, the Canarian government department responsible for verifying that development plans adhere to existing legislation has submitted a report against the development on several grounds.
The most serious of these is the council’s failure to observe a Supreme Court ruling ordering a key area earmarked for the hotels to be reclassified as rural land and therefore not usable for building. The reclassification was part of a controversial moratorium on developments put in place many years ago to halt the spiralling growth in hotel building across the Canaries.
Local sources report that the government has given San Bartolomé one month to reverse its approval allowing the hotel project to proceed or it will face very costly court action.
Photo: San Bartolomé de Tirajana council
