Siam Park Gran Canaria project restarts with new environmental review
Plans to build a Siam Park water park in the south of Gran Canaria have officially restarted, with the Canary Islands Government launching a new environmental review of the long-delayed project.
The process was announced today (Monday) in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC) and relates to land in El Veril, in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, close to Playa del Inglés. The review forms part of a wider planning document aimed at modernising and improving the area’s tourism offering.
The draft plan includes three possible options for developing the site. The regional government has indicated a preference for the second option, which would see the park built on a total area measuring just under 184,000 square metres. The main Siam Park facilities and an associated hotel would be located on a single plot, with around 460 hotel beds linked to the project.
This step forward comes almost 12 years after the Kiessling Group, which also owns Loro Parque and Siam Park Tenerife, first proposed building a similar water park in Gran Canaria. As part of the renewed process, the draft plan has now been opened to public consultation for 45 working days. During this period, anyone with an interest in the project can review the documents and submit comments or observations.
Officials stress that this stage is focused solely on gathering environmental information needed to move the project forward. It does not mean construction is imminent. Further studies, approvals and planning work will still be required, and sources familiar with the process say it could take several more years before Siam Park Gran Canaria becomes a reality.
The planned development area broadly matches land already designated for urban development in the local planning rules, with only minor adjustments to reflect current conditions on the ground.
Under the preferred option, the water park itself would occupy the largest part of the site, while the hotel would be built on the eastern side of the plot. The hotel could be up to six storeys high, designed in stepped levels down from the GC-500 road. The accommodation area would cover around 27,600 square metres.
The plan also includes public open spaces. More than 11,000 square metres would be reserved for green areas, public squares and facilities. This includes a large green space in the western part of El Veril, designed to act as a buffer between existing residential areas and the new tourist development, as well as a public plaza near the main entrance to the park.
Landscaped areas are also planned alongside the GC-500 road, along with a small public facility building connected to the open spaces.
In terms of transport, the proposal places an emphasis on sustainability. The plan encourages walking, cycling and other non-motorised travel, with the aim of reducing reliance on private cars, improving accessibility for all users and limiting environmental impact.
While the restart of the environmental process represents progress, authorities and planners caution that the project remains at an early stage and that significant time will still be needed before any final decisions are made.
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