The Fuerteventura Cabildo has voted in favour of cancelling their interest in the Dreamland Studios project, which aimed to build a ‘film city’ near the Corralejo Dunes, a natural reserve in the north of the island.
The project was initially approved by the Council in November 2022, but after receiving hundreds of objections from local institutions, organisations, and residents, they have now decided to declare the project's interest null and void.
The decision was made with 20 votes in favour, including those from the Canary Coalition (CC), Socialist Party (PSOE), National Coalition (NC), Popular Party (PP), and Agueda Montelongo, a representative from the Municipal Assemblies of Fuerteventura (AMF).
The Dreamland Studios project intended to occupy more than 160,000 square metres of rustic land, The first plot, zone A, measuring 13,089 metres in area, was going to be dedicated to parking and a heliport. Zone B was to include a recreational space for tourists with a virtual reality museum, commercial premises and restaurants. The audiovisual production would be located in zone C with sets, offices, dressing rooms and workshops. Finally, zone D would house general facilities such as a treatment plant or an electricity supply reception centre.
So that it could be built on rustic land, the promoters and the Cabildo resorted to the Law of Land and Protected Natural Spaces of the Canary Islands, which contemplates in article 77 that when constructions lack express coverage in planning “its authorisation by license requires prior declaration by the Island Council of public or social interest.” Thus, the entire tourism and commercial project remained in the hands of the island councillors, who supported it.
However, there was strong social rejection of the project, which was added to concern about the problems of drinking water supply and the debate about the current tourism model.
The Cabildo President, Lola García, emphasised that they are committed to projects that diversify the island's economy, but not at the expense of environmental protection. "We are in favour of projects that diversify the economy through the audiovisual industry, but never at the expense of a special sensitivity area," she said.
The project's vice-president, Blas Acosta, was a key supporter of the project, but he too voted in favour of cancelling its interest. He also emphasised that the Cabildo is committed to supporting projects that generate economic opportunities and prioritise landscape protection.
The Council's planning chief, Nereida Calero, explained that the project was denied due to its high intensity edification, urban transformation, and impact on a rural area with significant environmental and landscape value.
Additionally, several reports from the Council's corporate sector concluded that the project was incompatible with the Biosphere Reserve and had been rejected by all municipalities, including La Oliva.
The project's main economic driver was not film production, but a theme park, which would generate most of its income. The project lacked the necessary requirements for strategic island interest and was criticised for its lack of transparency and consultation with local authorities.
