Environmental Groups to appeal planned developments on Guaza Mountain in Brussels
Environmental organisations in Tenerife will file a formal complaint with the European Commission over two planned developments on Guaza Mountain, a protected area in Arona in the south of Tenerife, warning that allowing the projects to proceed would set a “very dangerous” precedent for natural spaces across the Canary Islands and undermine the credibility of the EU’s Natura 2000 conservation network.
The projects, known as Edificio Gara and The Cliff, are planned on the slopes of Montaña de Guaza, near Palm-Mar. The mountain is designated a Natural Monument and forms part of the Natura 2000 network, created to protect Europe’s most valuable habitats and species.
The first project, promoted by the Madrid-based company Metrovacesa, received a significant legal boost on 14th November, when the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) ruled that an environmental impact assessment was not required to obtain a municipal licence.
Metrovacesa had argued that the assessment was not legally necessary, contrary to the position of Arona Town Hall, which now plans to appeal the ruling to the Spanish Supreme Court.
The second development, led by Lemwey Inversiones and backed by the influential Los Menceyes Group, remains on hold. The planned site lies within a Natura 2000 Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) and must undergo full environmental scrutiny.
The area is considered one of Tenerife’s most important habitats for steppe birds and hosts colonies of species such as the trumpeter finch, Cory’s shearwater, Bulwer’s petrel, and the endangered osprey. The Guaza giant lizard, another threatened species, also inhabits the mountain.
Environmental groups argue that both projects clearly violate the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, as well as the precautionary principle that guides European environmental policy. Their complaint will urge the Commission to intervene, halt both developments preventively, and require the Spanish authorities to guarantee a rigorous environmental evaluation before any construction is considered.
Slope of the Guaza Mountain where two urbanizations are planned next to Avenida del Palm-Mar
The organisations also criticise the separate processing of the two applications, saying it conceals the combined impact on Montaña de Guaza. They warn that ongoing steps toward urbanising a site of high ecological, geological, and landscape value are taking place “without ensuring effective protection of the habitats and species” that justified its inclusion in Natura 2000.
According to the environmental groups, the risks of authorising the developments include habitat destruction, disturbance to protected bird species, increased urban pressure, and irreversible damage to the volcanic escarpment of Guaza.
They also say that the legal battle will continue against any attempt to grant building permits on plots “where construction should not even be contemplated due to the severe environmental impacts.”
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