Two years of government in San Bartolomé de Tirajana: progress in housing, public services, and urban transformation

 

The mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Marco Aurelio Pérez, and the first deputy mayor, Alejandro Marichal, appeared this Friday to review the first two years of their administration at the helm of the council. The legislative term is moving forward with an agenda focused on expanding the public housing stock, improving quality of life through effective public services, and unlocking land to generate new employment and residential opportunities.

 

Before beginning with the milestones in each area, the mayor emphasized that the balance sheet presented is the result of the work of a governing group that acts in a coordinated, planned, and rigorous manner. He reaffirmed the message from the first year of his term: "This government works because it manages well, and it manages well because it works." For his part, the first deputy mayor praised the commitment of all the councilors and municipal staff, stating that "it is not easy to govern, and even less so when there are two political forces. However, everyone has risen to the challenge, understanding that the important thing is not egos, but improving the well-being of those who live in the municipality."

 

Housing

"We are transforming the municipality so that it once again becomes a place to live," said Alejandro Marichal. In these two years, San Bartolomé de Tirajana has taken firm steps in public housing, consolidating structural investments and strengthening mechanisms for access to decent housing.

 

€35 million has been allocated to the construction of public housing in Lomo Maspalomas, Castillo del Romeral, and El Pajar, following the signing of an agreement with Visocan. Furthermore, the acquisition of 20 homes for social rental in Castillo del Romeral is in the works, and the purchase of new land is being promoted to expand future construction capacity.

 

A public housing renovation plan has also been launched, with an investment already totaling more than €15 million. Work has begun in Santa Águeda, Grupo IFA, 106 Viviendas, and La Paz. New projects worth €8,5 million are also planned, including upcoming projects in Las Llaves and Montaña Clara.

On the other hand, the first rental assistance has already been granted to working families, benefiting 54 households. Another 25 families have received technical support in processing state aid, of which 20 received a total of more than €160.000.

 

Urbanism

Urban planning has enabled the activation of more than €215 million in investments through the granting of 207 major construction permits between 2023 and 2025, tripling in just two years the number of permits granted during the entire previous term. This activity has generated more than 3.000 jobs.

 

Among the licenses granted, 57 correspond to private housing developments, involving the construction of more than 340 new residential units. In addition, the renovation of the hotel facilities has been facilitated with projects such as the Hotel Rondo, the Hotel Beach Club, the Jardín del Sol Apartments (converted into a four-star hotel), the San Borondón Apartments, and the Bahía Feliz non-hotel complex, among others.

 

Projects that had been blocked for more than two decades have also been approved. One of the most significant is Meloneras 2A, which frees up 300.000 square meters of public land for social facilities, green areas, and services. This operation represents the largest urban transformation in the municipality in decades and will allow for the construction of 3.600 tourist beds. This development will require 1.500 jobs during its execution and will generate another 900 direct jobs and 1.500 indirect jobs once operational.

 

Likewise, the T1 sector in El Tablero has been reactivated, with the goal of enabling more than 74.000 square meters of land, including 24.426 for residential use, 19.000 for educational facilities, and the remainder for amenities and open spaces. The T4 sector has also received initial approval, which will increase the number of buildable homes to 160. Sector 13, also in El Tablero, has been unblocked, with 105.000 square meters designated for housing, commerce, and services. According to Marichal, "in two years we have unblocked land, activated investments, and prepared the ground for thousands of homes and jobs that had been stalled for more than 20 years."

 

The Provisional Municipal Ordinances are currently being drafted to make tourism and residential uses compatible in mixed zones, offering legal certainty to residents who have lived on land classified as tourist-use for decades. This request responds to the plenary agreement of June 27, 2024, which declared the urgent need to regulate the coexistence of uses while the amendment to the General Plan is being processed.

 

 

 

Roads and Works

Mayor Marco Aurelio Pérez stated that "we have restored the dignity that towns and neighborhoods deserve." Over the past two years, improvements have been made to virtually all of the municipality's population centers, including plazas, street furniture, public spaces, median strips, and sports fields.

 

The areas benefiting include Tunte, Juan Grande, Aldea Blanca, Castillo del Romeral, San Fernando, El Tablero, Fataga, Los Lomillos, Hoya de Tunte, Perera, Casas Blancas, Arteara, and Lomo Galeón. In addition, the asphalt paving contract for 2024 has been executed, with an investment of €1,4 million.

 

Security and Emergencies

The new Municipal Security Control Center has been launched, now featuring more than 60 operational surveillance cameras, a video wall, and seven SOS posts installed on trails and hard-to-reach areas. This system offers "passive security" that strengthens citizen protection.

 

For the first time since 2008, the Local Police force has been expanded with the addition of 18 officers, five officers, and two sub-inspectors. The vehicle fleet has also been renewed with five new units, and a new contract has been awarded for the removal of abandoned vehicles. Traffic controls and campaigns against drug use and possession have been intensified. Furthermore, improvements have been implemented in signage and road safety in the municipality's most problematic areas.

 

The Fire Department has also been modernized with the acquisition of eleven new vehicles, rescue drones, rescue mattresses, and state-of-the-art technical equipment.

 

Cleaning

In this regard, Alejandro Marichal stated that "we have rescued an abandoned service, renewed selective waste collection, and now we are restoring cleanliness and care to our streets." The previous contract, which expired in 2019, has been reinstated, and new specifications have been drawn up. Following an urgent procedure that resolved the deficient service provision, this contract was awarded in May of this year.

 

The newly awarded company will incorporate 560 new containers, a modern fleet of trucks, support vans, and high-pressure cleaners. This new model will improve logistics capacity by 150 percent compared to the previous model.

 

The "Water and Soap" Plan has covered more than 20 kilometers of streets, squares, and parking lots. Seventy actions have been carried out, involving more than 70 workers and 265 machines. Lots of land, ravines, beaches, and degraded areas have also been cleaned with the support of volunteers, and coastal footbaths and showers have been improved.

 

Social Services, Seniors and Citizen Participation

Between 2023 and 2024, the number of social assistance programs managed has increased by 57 percent. The social emergency ordinance has been modified to facilitate access, eliminating tax requirements. Agreements have also been signed with Endesa and the Gran Canaria Island Council to streamline utility payments and strengthen assistance coverage. Furthermore, the technical and administrative staff in the area has been stabilized.

 

In the Senior Citizens area, work has been carried out at several centers in the municipality, and the Active Aging Program has been awarded a budget of €321.000 until 2027.

 

Regarding Citizen Participation, numerous meetings have been held with associations and residents to draft the new Participation Regulations in a participatory manner, which will be the cornerstone of neighborhood involvement in municipal decisions. A specific budget of €50.000 has also been allocated to address the needs of the municipality's socio-cultural organizations.

 

Human Resources and European Projects

The mayor emphasized that "the Human Resources department may have less visibility, but it is key to ensuring the stability of administrative operations." The staff stabilization process has been successfully completed, with 181 positions regularized, making this the only municipality to meet the legal deadline before December 31st.

 

In the area of ​​European Projects, the legislative period began with the challenge of rescuing €15 million in unspent funds from the previous group. Only €1,3 million was allocated, but this amount allowed the project to maintain its eligibility for continued funding. These funds are currently being allocated to initiatives such as the installation of energy-generating shade structures in schools, the Digital Twin (with an investment of €XNUMX million), and the Smart Tourism Destination (SDT) project, to which €XNUMX million have been allocated.

 

Youth and Equality

The Youth Department has launched a continuous program of activities focused on emotional, environmental, and affective-sexual education. Among the most notable are Maspaterror, Generación+, ECO-Joven, Mascine, and the Youth Dialogue Circles, with around twenty initiatives launched during the period.

 

In terms of equality, 280 women victims of gender-based violence have received support. Awareness-raising efforts have also been strengthened in educational centers and businesses, and agreements have been signed with tourism companies to facilitate the employment of women in vulnerable situations.

 

Tourism and Coast

The Department of Tourism has invested €1,2 million in international promotion of the destination, with campaigns at trade fairs in Berlin, London, and Madrid, as well as in the promotion of the Maspalomas International Carnival. A new Carnival-specific website and an official destination video have been created, translated into three languages.

 

In addition, more than 440.000 euros have been allocated to sponsoring events of tourist interest such as the Canary Islands Rally, Maspalomas Pride, Winter Pride, and Vive Fest Maspalomas, among others.

 

Regarding the modernization of the coastline, a new plan has been drafted, envisaging an investment of more than €8,5 million. This plan provides for comprehensive, batch-based management of services such as sunbeds, umbrellas, and kiosks. The tender is scheduled for the second half of 2025.

 

Animal Health and Welfare

In compliance with the new Animal Protection Law, microchipping and feline colony control campaigns have been implemented, along with the provision of feed, public awareness campaigns, and the hiring of veterinary services.

 

Thanks to the collaboration with the Mancomunidad de Medianías and the support of the Cabildo (City Council), the drafting of the project for the new Temporary Animal Shelter (CETA) has begun, with the aim of improving animal welfare and shelter conditions in the municipality.

 

Agriculture and Environment

San Bartolomé de Tirajana hosted the Km 0 Fair for the first time, with two editions attracting more than 15.000 people each time. Events were also held to disseminate the Biosphere Reserve's values, and the city collaborated with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on scientific research related to the Maspalomas Dunes Special Nature Reserve.

 

Markets and Cemeteries

The Farmers Market has been relocated to the Marcial Franco Business and Innovation Center to improve its accessibility and logistical facilities.

 

At the Lomo Cemetery, 256 new niches are being built, thus expanding the capacity to respond to municipal demands in this area.

 

Street lighting

A €7,5 million project for the complete renovation of the public lighting network is currently in the contracting phase. Meanwhile, part of the sodium lighting system has been replaced with LED technology in the tourist area, with an investment of €120.000.

 

The lighting network in the Medianías has also been reinforced, and the Parque del Sur was decorated with the "Christmas of the World" theme during the last Christmas season.

 

Urban Mobility and Transportation

Controls over the taxi sector have been strengthened, especially regarding vehicles adapted for people with reduced mobility. In addition, comprehensive management software for the municipal fleet has been acquired.

 

The new ordinance regulating personal mobility vehicles is pending approval. New bus shelters have also been installed to improve public transportation services at several points in the municipality.

 

Celebrations and Events

The budget allocated to the festival committees has increased from €180.000 to €300.000. For the first time, a sponsorship system has been implemented for the Maspalomas International Carnival, which has allowed for the recovery of direct revenue from fees, with a total income of €135.687.

 

Carnival has achieved recognition as a Festival of Tourist Interest in the Canary Islands, paving the way for a future declaration of national and even international tourist interest.

 

Equity shares

The bidding process for the development of a new municipal inventory of assets and concessions, which had been pending since 1994, has begun. This project is scheduled to be awarded in September 2025, providing the City Council with an essential tool for the efficient management of municipal public assets.