A growing public campaign against the building of a luxury tourism project – Cuna del Alma – in Puertito de Adeje, southern Tenerife, has reached new heights as over 50,000 people have signed a petition.
The petition urges Canary Island authorities to deny the 420-villa complex project, which is set to cost a whopping £36 million, its construction permits, reports Canarian Weekly.
There are fears that the new 437,000-square-metre site could threaten protected species and the surrounding Special Conservation Zone (ZEC), Franja Marina Teno-Rasca, which is home to many tropical fish, whales, dolphins and turtles, as well as many valuable plant species.
“More than a cradle, it will be its grave,” the petition argued, stating that Tenerife already has an extensive hospitality infrastructure and that the focus should be on diversifying its economy rather than overdeveloping its remaining green spaces.
A second petition has also been launched on YouMoveEurope – which now has over 9,800 signatures. It calls for the resignation of the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, Vice President Manuel Domínguez, and Adeje’s Mayor José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga. The petition accuses the political figures of enabling “the biggest urban scandal in recent Canarian history”.
There have also been accusations of violations of the building regulations, including that work is being carried out outside of the permitted hours. Last weekend, activists filed complaints citing illegal excavation and land-moving activities taking place as early as 7am on a Saturday, despite local ordinances explicitly prohibiting such works on weekends and public holidays.
Activists also claim that an archaeological site has already been intentionally destroyed and that construction began without a valid environmental impact assessment.
A fine of just under £500,000 had been proposed for the former alleged offence, however, this expired in August 2023 due to a lapse in enforcement by the new administration under the Canary Islands Coalition.
The Canary Islands Agency for Environmental Protection (ACPMN) also dropped its case against the project for lacking an environmental impact report. The council argued that the development is in the public interest and essential for ensuring residents’ right to decent housing, even though Cuna del Alma does not include residential features.
The project, along with another planned hotel development at La Tejita beach in Granadilla de Abona, sparked protests across the archipelago last year. On April 20, demonstrators took to the streets with slogans including: “We want to be hosts, not slaves” and “Paradise is not built with concrete”.
This culminated in a 20-day hunger strike, with activists demanding the suspension of both projects. Then, on August 10, a stream of angry protests stormed the area which has been branded “the last undeveloped part of the island”.
GeoTenerife, which has long opposed the major plans, said the development is aimed at “rich tourists” and is not “sustainable.” They claimed marine wildlife could be impacted and that Tenerife’s heritage would be “bulldozed” to make room for holidaymakers.
The protesters were seen pulling down a hotel development barrier as they paraded through the area.
The Cuna del Alma developers, however, told ITV last year that the project would respect the environment, adding that it would create 750 jobs, that the sand would be entirely natural and that the area on which the project will be built is not protected.
On its website, Cuna del Alma’s “Eco Manifesto” claims the build will be “Respectful with its environment, sustainable, to be enjoyed by present and future generations.”
