The update of the Land Law will reduce the content of the general plans by 40%, with the aim of facilitating and speeding up their processing, in a clear commitment to structural and strategic planning as opposed to detailed planning, as requested by the majority of technicians and experts who have participated in its study during the last year.
The processing times will be reduced to the maximum allowed by state legislation, phases will be limited and the processing of planning instruments will be simplified, eliminating the distinction between partial and special in the case of Territorial Plans, and equating Urban Action and Improvement Programs (PAMU) to the processing of ordinances. In addition, the figure of the Special Renovation Project for Industrial Land will be created, in order to modernize and improve industrial estates.
The Minister of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Miranda, today announced an advance of the main novelties contained in the first draft of the bill, which will be presented next Friday in a parliamentary committee during an appearance at his own request. At this morning's press conference he was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Territorial Planning and Demographic Challenge, Elena Zárate, and the Director General of Territorial Planning and Territorial Cohesion, Onán Cruz, who have coordinated the update work.
As Manuel Miranda explained, "the updating of the Land Law will represent a qualitative leap in the principles of simplification and rationalization that inspired it more than seven years ago, with better tools for the protection of the territory, and with specific measures to directly respond to the challenges of the demographic challenge and the urban agenda, to reduce processing times, to facilitate building permits, to encourage the construction of housing and to try to fix the population in municipalities of less than 10,000 inhabitants, to which we are going to give the preferential treatment they demand and deserve."
The updating of the Land and Protected Areas Law of the Canary Islands responds to the need to adapt the regulatory framework to the new territorial, social and economic challenges of the Canary Islands, and is based on the following fundamental principles:
- Simplification and regulatory rationalization: Reduce the bureaucratic burden and make administrative procedures in urban management more efficient.
- Promotion of urban renewal and improvement: Promote the rehabilitation and modernization of urban spaces with sustainability criteria.
- Greater protection of the territory: Strengthen the mechanisms for the conservation and recovery of the environment.
- Promotion of public housing: Facilitate access to housing and improve the regulation of developable land.
- Support for municipalities in the face of the demographic challenge: Guarantee balanced and sustainable territorial development.
- Reinforcement of the primary sector: Promote agricultural and livestock activity, and economic activities linked to rural land.
Among the most outstanding modifications is the reduction of processing times to the minimum allowed by state legislation, the elimination of unnecessary phases and the simplification of planning instruments. These actions will guarantee greater efficiency and speed in urban management.
In terms of sanctions, minor infractions on the territory will see their minimum fine increased from 60 to 300 euros, while very serious infractions will double their amount to reach 600,000 euros. This hardening of sanctions seeks to reinforce the protection of the territory and guarantee compliance with the regulations. The Canary Islands Agency for the Protection of the Natural Environment will substantially extend the intervention times on infractions, doubling the statute of limitations from 4 to 8 years.
Likewise, the municipalities will see their public land assets increased with the expansion of the transfer percentage of use from 10% to 15%. In addition, the percentage of land destined for public housing will experience a significant increase, favoring access to housing for citizens.
This set of measures will allow progress towards a more efficient and sustainable land management in the Canary Islands, guaranteeing a balance between economic development, environmental protection and social welfare.
The main novelties of the update will be presented this afternoon to the FECAM, tomorrow Thursday to the FECAI and on Friday to the members of the Territorial Policy Commission of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, in which the Minister Manuel Miranda will appear at his own request.