The Civil Guard of the Command of Las Palmas is investigating about twenty people on the island of Lanzarote, within the framework of control that is being carried out to stop the proliferation of illegal constructions. These actions, carried out by the Nature Protection Team (EPRONA), seek to protect the valuable natural environment of the island and ensure compliance with current urban planning regulations.
During the investigations, the EPRONA has carried out a total of 42 inspections in illegal buildings, located between the municipalities of Haría and Tías. As a result, 20 people are being investigated for an alleged crime against land management. The legal consequences they face include prison sentences of one to three years, fines that can range between twelve and twenty-four months, and the obligation to demolish the constructions and restore the land to its original state.
In the investigation of these events, it is worth noting the collaboration that the Civil Guard is receiving from the Canary Agency for the Natural Environment and the Urban Planning Area of the Haría City Council, which has allowed significant progress in the detection and documentation of these events.
The investigations begin after the agents of the EPRONA detect the proliferation of illegal constructions for residential and recreational purposes on protected land, where this type of use is prohibited, since they lead to the degradation of sensitive environmental areas, putting at risk the biodiversity and quality of life of legally established local communities.
In addition, these illegal constructions can cause irreparable damage to the environment, leaving a difficult-to-restore footprint on the natural soil. This leads to the loss of natural spaces, agricultural land and biodiversity, especially in an ecosystem as delicate as the Canary Islands.
To avoid incurring in this type of crimes and their serious consequences, the Civil Guard recommends to the citizens that, before acquiring land or initiating any urban planning action, they inform themselves adequately about the viability of their projects. For this, they can go to the urban planning discipline service of their municipality or, failing that, to the Canary Agency for the Protection of the Natural Environment.
Finally, the SEPRONA Team of Las Palmas continues with the investigation work in Lanzarote, where a second phase of inspections is planned. It is expected that, due to the magnitude of the problem, there will be an increase in the number of people investigated for illegal constructions on the island.
