A report commissioned by the Yaiza Town Council has outlined the process for the partial demolition of the Son Bou Hotel in Playa Blanca. The complex has been operating with twice the permitted number of guests and an excess of 6,000 square metres of built-up area beyond what was legally authorised.
At first glance, the Son Bou Hotel in Playa Blanca appears to be just another tourist complex. Rental cars fill its entrance, and tourists lounge by the pool, mirroring the typical holiday scene seen in surrounding buildings. However, Son Bou stands apart from the rest. It lacks any identifying signage and has no reception.
Access is only possible via a ramp leading to a communal area or through an underground passage connecting it to the luxury hotel Princesa Yaiza. Both establishments share the same owner, Juan Francisco Rosa, and both have continued operating despite being classified as illegal.
The Son Bou hotel was originally granted planning permission in 1998 by former mayor Juan Francisco Reyes, who is now serving a prison sentence for corruption. That year, Reyes pushed through over 1,500 tourist accommodation permits as part of a scheme to enrich himself while in office. Court rulings from the Yate case determined that many of these licences were granted irregularly, including that of Son Bou.
Reyes’ governance saw the rise of ‘developer-led urbanism’, where he demanded money from businesses with real estate interests in Yaiza under the pretext of expediting planning approvals. However, he ignored essential legal requirements such as tourism permits and legal assessments. Many of Yaiza’s current tourist complexes are legacies of this period, including the Papagayo Arena Hotel.
Attempts at Legalisation and the Road to Demolition
In recent years, owner Juan Francisco Rosa has sought to legalise Son Bou. His most recent attempt involved proposing an expansion of the neighbouring Princesa Yaiza hotel to integrate the Son Bou apartments. However, this proposal was rejected. In 2024, the Yaiza Town Council commissioned a technical report to establish the necessary measures for the partial demolition of Son Bou to bring it in line with municipal urban planning regulations.
Excessive Capacity and Illegality
The report, prepared by architect Maximiliano Valero Padilla, found that the architectural plans submitted by the hotel’s owners did not correspond to the actual structure. The building, entirely dedicated to tourism, consists of three above-ground storeys and two underground levels. It features 55 apartments, each measuring 85 square metres, along with a swimming pool, solarium, gym, changing rooms, and common areas for guests and staff.
The report confirmed that the Lanzarote Cabildo has revoked the original operating licence for the aparthotel. Additionally, the structure exceeds the permitted limits of the Yaiza General Planning Scheme.
The Son Bou hotel currently accommodates 220 guests, double the 111 allowed under municipal regulations. Furthermore, the total constructed area exceeds the legal limit by more than 6,000 square metres, covering 9,427 square metres instead of the authorised 3,333.
Demolition Proposal and Implementation Plan
At the request of the Yaiza Town Council, the technical report sets out how the partial demolition should be carried out to bring Son Bou in line with urban planning laws. It also includes a series of renovation works for the parts of the building that will remain intact. According to legal documents presented by the town council’s defence team, the responsibility for preparing the demolition project lies with the hotel’s ownership, which must comply with the findings of the technical report.
Additionally, the property must ensure the physical execution of the demolition without further delays by hiring a construction firm with adequate resources. A legal submission made to the Administrative Litigation Division of the Canary Islands High Court of Justice (TSJC) on 18th November 2024, granted the hotel 30 working days to accept the demolition proposal and six months to present a partial demolition plan.
Once the demolition permit is granted, the property will have 18 months to complete the works. If these deadlines are not met, the Yaiza Town Council will take immediate action and carry out the demolition itself, recovering the associated costs from the hotel’s ownership.
Demolition Scope and Structural Modifications
The proposal does not require alterations to the second basement level but outlines significant changes to other floors. On basement level -1, the common area available to guests must be reduced to an 83-square-metre lounge. To ensure that the basement level is not classified as a ground floor, part of its façade must be buried, lowering the solarium area around the swimming pool. Additionally, the gym and changing rooms must be converted into internal service rooms. The tunnel connecting Son Bou with the Princesa Yaiza Hotel will remain intact.
The most substantial changes begin on the ground floor, where 76% of the vertical perimeter walls must be demolished to create an open-plan space. All internal divisions and external fittings must also be removed. The reception office and a service room will be transformed into guest communal areas, and the entrance pergola will be dismantled.
On the first floor, a partial demolition of the vertical façade is required to comply with municipal regulations. This floor must be transformed into an open-plan area, with all internal partitions, bathrooms, and ceilings removed.
The second floor will undergo the most extensive demolition, with the complete removal of the building’s roof and flooring. The entire upper-level façade, windows, interior divisions, and sanitary facilities must be eliminated, leaving behind an open, walkable rooftop fitted with the existing photovoltaic system. Finally, the layout of the remaining apartments must be reconfigured to ensure that the hotel complies with the legal capacity of 111 guests.
The demolition of Son Bou marks a significant step in rectifying illegal developments in Lanzarote’s tourist sector. With strict deadlines in place, the Yaiza Town Council aims to ensure compliance and restore adherence to urban planning laws in the region.
