Las Teresitas beach in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, situated in the San Andrés area, is set for an extensive makeover by the end of 2025. This renovation aims to transform the beach into a more user-friendly and attractive destination with broad pedestrian pathways, retail zones, dining terraces, enhanced sandy areas, additional parking facilities, improved lighting, and notably, the introduction of a luxury five-star hotel boasting around 200 rooms.
This initiative seeks to upgrade and modernize the seaside locale, aligning with the 2005 amendments to the General Development Plan (PGO) designated for the Anaga coast. According to Town Planning Councillor Zaida González, this refurbishment hinges on financial viability which necessitates the construction of a modestly sized hotel, positioned away from the beachfront, to stimulate the local economy.
Following the municipal assembly’s decisions in November 2023, the City Council initiated an early public consultation in February to collect feedback from local residents and organizations potentially impacted by the proposed changes. This participatory process, which concluded last Friday, received 24 submissions, primarily centred around concerns regarding the proposed hotel construction near Las Teresitas.
The feedback from community groups and residents, shared via the Urban Planning Management portal, voiced apprehensions regarding the beach’s redevelopment. Many expressed a preference for improvements to public transportation and existing amenities over new urban development and hotel construction. Common sentiments included fears about the hotel altering the character of San Andrés and skepticism regarding the tangible benefits of such development, highlighting potential disruptions without meaningful community gains.
Suggestions from the public also included enhancing the beach’s facilities with better lighting, installing fountains and sculptures celebrating local fishermen, creating a visitor centre, establishing terraced gardens along the mountain slope, and adding adventure parks, boardwalks, cycling paths, parking spaces, a small café at the scenic viewpoint, and additional showers and toilets. However, respondents emphasized that these enhancements should not compromise Las Teresitas’ environmental integrity, biodiversity, or natural appeal.
Councillor González reiterated the municipality’s intent is not merely to construct a profit-driven hotel but to foster employment opportunities in San Andrés and Anaga, aligning with regulatory frameworks ensuring the financial and environmental sustainability of the Las Teresitas PGO.
The PGO amendment has been assigned to the public entity Gestur, tasked with drafting preliminary urban planning strategies for the beach’s public spaces. This draft, along with an accompanying strategic environmental study, will be submitted to the municipal council for final approval, expected by the end of 2024. Following this approval, the finalized plans will incorporate feedback from the Strategic Environmental Declaration, setting the stage for the proposed enhancements to commence within two years.
A PGO ANNULLED BY THE COURTS TO URBANISE THE SEA FRONT OF LAS TERESITAS
This renovation follows a history of urban planning challenges, including the 2009 withdrawal of an initial project to develop Las Teresitas’ seafront, which led to the drafting of a new PGO in 2013. However, this was later annulled by a court decision in 2017, affecting several of the city’s special plans. Currently, developments adhere to the 2005 PGO, with the city council aiming for a swift minor amendment process to avoid a six-year wait for the new capital’s PGO finalisation.
