Developers target protected Guaza Mountain for new apartment complexes
Two major real-estate projects have reignited concerns over urban pressure on the south of Tenerife, as developers seek permission to build on the slopes of Montaña de Guaza in Palm-Mar, a site declared a Natural Monument 21 years ago for its geological, historical, and environmental value.
Metrovacesa, based in Madrid, and Lemwey Inversiones, linked to the influential Belgian Weytjens family, owners of several luxury complexes in the area and known locally as Los Menceyes, have requested licences from Arona Council to construct residential buildings, garages, and commercial units on two separate plots.
Both plots, numbered 15-2 and 17, lie within the EU-protected Natura 2000 network and a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA). The area is also regulated by conservation rules specifically designed for Montaña de Guaza, established by the Canary Islands Government in 2008.
The mountain is home to several endangered species, including the Tenerife giant lizard and the osprey (guincho). The area also hosts the Cory’s shearwater and the viborina triste, a specially protected plant that famously halted construction of the Cuna del Alma project in Adeje.
A hotspot of tourism and foreign residents
The proposed developments sit on the hillside bordering Avenida del Palm-Mar, an area that has seen a boom in tourism-related accommodation and businesses. Today, 51% of Palm-Mar residents are foreigners, with Belgians and Germans comprising the largest groups after Spaniards.
Arona is Tenerife’s second most visited municipality, welcoming 1.3 million tourists in 2024 — a figure that almost rivals the island’s entire population, just over one million.
Metrovacesa’s ‘Gara’ project
Metrovacesa plans to build a 28-home residential block with four commercial units, storage rooms, garages and a communal pool. The development, covering 3,200 m² near the coast, is partly within the boundary of the protected natural space and close to the Teno-Rasca Special Conservation Zone.
Technical documents include proposals to stabilise the mountainside with a 7-metre dynamic barrier and on-site concrete reinforcement to prevent landslides.
Arona Council confirmed that the licence is “unresolved and currently in court”. The local authority argues that environmental assessment is mandatory because the plot lies within Natura 2000, while the developer disputes this requirement.
Lemwey’s luxury ‘The Cliff’
The second project, The Cliff by Lemwey Inversiones, also seeks permission to construct a residential block with garages. Despite being promoted on social media, reports in Belgium earlier this year revealed the company had paused marketing due to missing permits.
Like the Gara project, this development includes plans to alter the hillside, carrying out earthworks and hydraulic interventions to redirect a natural ravine running through the site. Arona Council states the application is on hold pending submission of an environmental report.
Landslide concerns and local scrutiny
Sources familiar with the area note that in July 2025, the Tenerife Cabildo ordered the closure of the land around one of the plots due to the alleged risk of rockfall from Montaña de Guaza. Parts of the seafront promenade remain closed, though residents say no landslides occurred even after Storm Claudia passed.
Some locals fear that citing landslide risks as justification for modifying the slope could ultimately pave the way for building on a protected natural landmark.
Arona Council confirms a study has identified a landslide risk, prompting a safety cordon in Palm-Mar. A further licence request has been made for installing protective mesh. The Council has asked the Cabildo’s environmental department to assess whether this work also requires environmental evaluation due to its location within Natura 2000.
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