The Socialist Group in the Arrecife City Council presented this Tuesday in a press conference at the Casa del Pueblo its allegations to the Simplified Strategic Environmental Assessment procedure of the Catalog of Protection of the Cultural Heritage of the municipality, warning that the document "does not fulfill its function of preserving heritage" and "opens the door to its deterioration, disfigurement and urban exploitation".
This was denounced by the socialist spokesman, Alfredo Mendoza, who appeared before the media to warn that the document "seriously deviates from the spirit with which a heritage protection catalog should be drawn up".
"The catalog cannot be an instrument of covert urban planning, much less a tool at the service of particular interests. And yet, that is exactly what we find in this document," Mendoza said.
Prioritizes buildability over conservation
According to the socialist spokesman, the catalog "allows the growth in height of heritage buildings even with alleged degrees of protection", which "flagrantly contradicts the basic principles of heritage protection".
The Market, a symbol of absurdity
One of the most striking examples, he pointed out, is that of the Mercadillo de la Calle Real building, which is listed with environmental protection, despite being initiated as an Asset of Cultural Interest. "With this degree of protection, its interior could be emptied and up to six or seven floors could be built, destroying precisely what is intended to be protected. The Market is the symbol of the PP and CC's absurdity with this document," Mendoza denounced.
The Socialist Group also denounces that the files lack essential information and that the degrees of protection seem to respond to urban and not cultural criteria. "Neither the degree of protection is justified, nor the protected elements are explained, nor the permitted interventions are detailed. All of this violates the provisions of the Canary Islands Cultural Heritage Law and reflects a worrying lack of rigor," added the socialist spokesman.
An urban trap in the form of "additions"
Mendoza also questioned that the three alternatives proposed in the document allow, to a greater or lesser extent, generalized additions on buildings with a degree of environmental protection, which translates into an opportunity for growth in height in areas of very high economic value, such as the historic center of Arrecife.
"Instead of proposing measures to protect, construction opportunities are distributed in the historic center, forgetting the neighborhoods and fueling speculation expectations," Mendoza lamented.
The PSOE of Arrecife also warns of the absence of Declared Assets of Cultural Interest or in the process of initiation, the exclusion of relevant sculptures, errors in the denomination of buildings and the inclusion of buildings of dubious heritage value. In addition, they denounce a "totally unbalanced" distribution of heights, which rewards the most valuable land in the center of Arrecife while ignoring areas more suitable for growing in height, such as the Vía Medular or some peripheral neighborhoods.
A comprehensive amendment
For all these reasons, the Socialist Group has presented a comprehensive amendment to the document, with two key allegations: that all those proposals that contradict the purpose of the catalog as an instrument of protection be reversed and that the degrees of protection, the intervention alternatives and the allocation of heights be reviewed, guaranteeing respect for cultural values.
"From the PSOE of Arrecife we believe in a city that builds its future respecting its history. We are not going to allow the catalog to become a tailor-made suit to benefit those who see in our heritage an obstacle to overcome, and not a value to preserve," concluded Alfredo Mendoza.