The Cabildo of Lanzarote continues with its round of sector meetings to present the draft and the initial strategic document of the Island Plan of Lanzarote and the Chinijo Archipelago to the population. In this case, and after recently presenting this key document to the primary sector of the island, this Thursday a meeting was held with the representatives of the municipal corporations and the technicians of the town councils, to publicize the progress in territorial planning and promote the participation of local administrations in the process.
The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, has underlined the importance of this update, recalling that "the current Island Plan dates from 1991 and is completely outdated. It does not reflect the current social, economic or territorial reality of the island, nor does it respond to the needs of the island's population. It is essential that we have a new planning tool that guarantees sustainable, balanced development that is adjusted to the challenges of the present and the future".
Betancort added that "it is essential that this process has the active participation of the municipalities, since the island planning has a direct impact on the development of each locality. This Plan will be the framework that will determine the future of Lanzarote and the Chinijo Archipelago in the coming decades".
In this same line, the Councilor for Territorial Policy, Jesús Machín, explained that "we are facing a historic opportunity to update our territorial model, making it more efficient, sustainable and adapted to the real needs of the island. The new PIOT will include key infrastructures in the different municipalities that will result in the improvement of the quality of life of the people of Lanzarote and Graciosa".
Maximum transparency and citizen participation
Machín also stressed that "the initial strategic document allows us to identify possible environmental impacts from the beginning, thus guaranteeing territorial planning that respects our environment. Our commitment is that this process will be carried out with maximum transparency and with the participation of all sectors involved".
The draft of the PIOT is configured as a preliminary document that will serve as a reference in the initial phase of the Strategic Environmental Assessment procedure, establishing the bases of the environmental and territorial analysis. "In short," explained Jesús Machín, "this is a basic document in the protection and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity, as well as in the sustainable economic development and social welfare of the island's population".
With this presentation, the Cabildo of Lanzarote initiates "a new stage in the island's territorial planning, guaranteeing transparency and dialogue with local administrations to consolidate a sustainable and planned development for the benefit of the citizens". "We cannot remain anchored in an obsolete model. It is time to take a qualitative leap in the planning of our territory and build together the Lanzarote of the future," concluded Oswaldo Betancort.