Urgent measures will allow the creation of 8,000 homes in the Canary Islands in four years, according to builders

The Association of Construction Entrepreneurs and Developers (AECP) of Las Palmas considers that with the decree law of urgent measures regarding housing, approved this Monday by the Government of the Canary Islands, it is viable that 8,000 homes, both public and private, can be developed in the next four years.

In statements to journalists, after meeting with the president of the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Clavijo, and the Minister of Public Works and Housing, Pablo Rodríguez, the president of AECP, María de la Salud Gil, pointed out that thanks to the decree law, these 8,000 homes can be created, which will mean 24,000 jobs (direct, indirect and induced), which implies that existing jobs will be maintained and employment will be created.

The president of the AECP considered that the decree law approved by the Governing Council responds to "a large part" of the demands that the sector has been raising for six years because, "without being perfect, it attacks the root of the problems" and faces with "courage" measures to resolve the existing "housing emergency" situation.

The decree declares housing policy to be of public interest, which means that it will have a treatment with a differentiated legal framework; a large part of the procedural problems are going to be resolved, since the deadlines are reduced by half, and administrative silence is considered positive, which is "a real revolution", Gil highlighted.

In addition, adequate measures are taken to make land available to private and public initiative to be able to make and develop "thousands of homes" under a lease regime, but measures are also taken in relation to housing in general, which means that there can be a balance in the price market, which is "fundamental", according to Gil.

The president of the builders in the province of Las Palmas has also highlighted the fact that the decree, with the measures it contains, includes the middle class and private initiative in the benefit and management of this project.

Gil stated that the AECP, to promote the purpose of the decree, the creation of housing on the islands, has committed to the Canary Islands Government "to structure and coordinate the city councils, the island councils, the public company Viviendas Sociales de Canarias (Visocan) and to excite the private initiative for its development."

María de la Salud Gil recalled that a few months ago she announced that it was possible to build 8,000 homes in four years on the islands, and with these measures it is possible, "if we are able to agree and create an environment of trust."

The counselor said that the meeting also addressed the need to promote training in the field of construction, because labor will be needed so that companies can face the challenge they have of building in an "exponential" way, and in the training field the AECP and the Labor Foundation of Construction "play an important role."

Likewise, Rodríguez pointed out that the approved decree law declares the housing emergency and that to respond to this need, he reiterated that it is necessary that "the public and private sectors go hand in hand and face one of the main challenges that the Canary Islands has, to meet the demand for housing.