The Army will once again use the old barracks of Arrecife, within a Transformation Plan that includes bringing a Cavalry Unit to Lanzarote. This group is currently based in Valencia, but the Ministry of Defense hopes that in two years it will already be installed in the capital of Lanzarote.
During that time, works will be carried out in the "Marqués de Herrara" barracks to "adapt the facilities for personnel and vehicles." "An important investment is planned," they point out from the Ministry, which affirms that both the works "as well as the subsequent arrival of all this personnel and material will entail an economic and commercial boost for the city."
Regarding the possible impact, they argue that "the location of the barracks adjacent to the Arrecife ring road (LZ-3) and its easy access to the port or other areas of the island, exclusively by road, avoids the passage of vehicles through urban and tourist areas." In addition, they specify that "the Cavalry Group only has wheeled vehicles, which means that the environmental impact during its movements is minimal."
The Infantry Battalion left in 2003
The Arrecife barracks have been 'semi-abandoned' since 2003, when the Infantry Battalion left the island. Currently, according to the Ministry of Defense this Friday, there are "about 50 soldiers" in the barracks, to which in two years "will be added the 250 men and women who will form the Milan XVI Cavalry Group, many of them accompanied by their families."
This measure, they explain, responds "to the implementation of the concept of Polyvalent Organic Brigades (BOP)", which "has affected all the Brigades" of the Army. "Once the transfer is complete, the Canary Islands Brigade XVI will have the same organization as the rest of the Polyvalent Organic Brigades (BOP) of the Army, managing to have all its units gathered in the Canary archipelago and with it greater cohesion and interoperability between its units," the Ministry points out.