Canary Islands Parliament approves law to speed up urban planning licences
The Parliament of the Canary Islands passed a new urban‑planning law aimed at speeding up the issuance of building licences. The governing coalition (CC, PP, AHI and ASG) voted in favour, while the PSOE and Nueva Canarias‑Bloque Canario (NC‑bc) opposed it and Vox abstained.
The legislation allows accredited professional associations and urban organisations to issue legally valid technical reports, reducing the time local councils need to approve permits. It also sparked debate over vacation‑rental regulations: an amendment to treat holiday rentals as non‑classified activity was blocked at the last minute, leaving the existing rules unchanged. President Fernando Clavijo warned of uncertainty in the smaller islands and announced that the government will start negotiations in September to establish a uniform framework for classified activities.
The law is presented as a response to the housing shortage, aiming to streamline planning procedures without waiting for state intervention.