Future of Tenerife Motor Circuit in serious doubt after court ruling
The future of the Tenerife Motor Circuit has been thrown into serious doubt after the Supreme Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) ruled in favour of an environmental group in the first of several key legal appeals.
The case centres on a series of challenges brought by ATAN against different parts of the project, which is being developed by the Cabildo.
While one ruling has already gone against them, three further decisions are still pending and are expected to be crucial in determining whether the project can be completed.
Multiple Projects Under Scrutiny
The overall development includes four separate elements: flood defence works, ground preparation and temporary grandstand areas, the track itself, and a northern access road.
The court has so far ruled on the section relating to ground works and temporary stands, backing an earlier decision that found the project had been approved using an expired environmental impact assessment.
Previous rulings in 2025 also supported ATAN’s position on other elements, including flood defence adaptations and changes to the race track design, again citing the same issue with the outdated environmental approval.
One Exception for the Cabildo
Only one part of the project, the modified northern access road, has so far been upheld by a lower court, which ruled that the environmental approval remained valid. This has created conflicting legal interpretations that the higher court is now working to resolve.
Both the island council and the environmental group have appealed all rulings, and the high court has now begun issuing its decisions, starting with one in favour of ATAN.
Work Continues Despite Legal Uncertainty
Despite the legal challenges, construction is continuing in Granadilla de Abona, with no court order yet issued to halt the works.
The dispute centres on whether enough progress was made on site to keep an environmental approval granted in 2011 valid. Current law sets a four-year limit on such approvals, although it was five years at the time.
Judges have concluded that there was no meaningful start to construction, noting that preliminary or administrative steps are not enough to keep approval in force. Official documents from the Cabildo in 2022 even placed project completion at 0%.
What Happens Next
The court has warned that allowing projects to rely on minimal early activity would effectively let environmental approvals remain valid indefinitely, undermining legal safeguards.
As a result, it has been indicated that a new environmental assessment may be required, based on current regulations and standards.
The island council has yet to confirm whether it will halt construction or take the case further to the Supreme Court, choosing instead to wait for the remaining rulings before making a final decision.
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