Arequipa planning institute seeks to update land protection laws

The Municipal Institute of Planning of Arequipa (IMPLA) is facing opposition from the Arequipa Regional Council regarding a proposal to modify or repeal Regional Ordinance No. 007-2003-GRA/CR. This long-standing regulation declares the region's agricultural lands and green areas untouchable.

IMPLA manager Patricia Muñoz stated that the request for modification is a technical necessity to update the Metropolitan Development Plan (PDM) 2026. She argued that the current 2003 framework is outdated and does not align with newer legislation, such as the Law of Sustainable Urban Development. Muñoz emphasized that the goal is not to deplete the countryside but to rectify technical errors and provide more effective protection through updated standards.

Conversely, the Regional Council has expressed skepticism. Legal advisors for the Regional Government issued an unfavorable opinion, noting that significant agricultural spaces in districts such as Cayma, Sabandía, and Socabaya must be preserved. The Council is currently evaluating the proposal through various commissions, including Ecology and Territorial Conditioning, amid concerns regarding the technical sufficiency of the municipal request.