Ecologists sound alarm over flood zone development
The Ben Magec Ecologist Federation has issued a stark warning that the site chosen for the planned Siam Park water park, in the El Veril ravine in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Gran Canaria, is a legally declared flood zone. The organisation participated in the public consultation process regarding the ‘Second Plan for Modernisation, Improvement and Increased Competitiveness of El Veril’ in the south of the island, where the theme park is intended to be built.
Alleged flaws in the environmental assessment
In a statement, the federation argued that the strategic environmental assessment document presented by the Canary Islands Government’s Ministry of Territorial Policy, Cohesion and Water lacks a “real and objective analysis of alternatives,” omitting the ‘zero development’ option and downplaying the area’s natural and cultural value. Ben Magec states the procedure has legal deficiencies in defining public land and the urban classification of the soil. They believe the document amounts to a mere formal reconsideration of a previous plan that was annulled by the courts, without substantively addressing the core issues that led to its legal challenge.
History of severe flooding cited as major risk
The ecologists highlight several risks in building on the public watercourse of the Buenavista-El Cañizo-La Maleza ravine. Firstly, they state the area has a history of serious floods causing significant material damage and loss of life, recalling the major inundations of 2000, 2001, and 2002. Ben Magec contends that studies submitted with the application minimise the real flood risk by omitting consideration of recent extreme weather events and climate change trends, which have increased the frequency and intensity of torrential rain across the Canaries and Spain.
“Furthermore, the proposed channelling of the ravine, far from solving the problem, could worsen the situation by concentrating water flow and increasing its speed, thereby raising the risk downstream,” the group emphasised, adding that all this compromises the safety of people and property.
Contradictions on climate change impact
Ben Magec points out a contradiction: while the application itself recognises the zone as an ‘Area of Significant Potential Flood Risk’ (ARPSI-42), the conclusions of the Strategic Environmental Report contradict this by asserting that “no significant impact from climate change on flood episodes is foreseen during the planning cycle.” The federation finds this stance reckless given recent rainfall data and the island’s accumulated experience with extreme weather.
The group also criticises the failure to consider recent climatic evolution, with episodes of extreme rainfall causing severe damage in other regions and on the island itself, which should serve as a warning about the need for extreme caution in developing public watercourses.
Accusations of a predetermined private project
The organisation asserts that the true objective of the El Veril plan is the establishment of a private water park, disguised under generic labels like “botanical park” or “environmental park.” “There is a perfectly defined private proposal predetermined by the commercial entity LORO PARQUE, S.A., as the Canary Islands Government is well aware,” they underlined. Ben Magec claims this demonstrates a lack of transparency and genuine consideration of alternatives, as well as the subordination of public interest to private interests, contrary to Spanish and Canarian environmental law.
They express particular concern that the public administration, via a direct commission to the public company Gesplan, is promoting an initiative of secondary public interest, to the detriment of independent professionals in territorial planning and against recent rulings questioning such direct commissions.
Call for suspension and legal compliance
The ecologists argue that the proposed solution is limited to channelling the ravine and requiring sector reports, without a detailed analysis of the sufficiency of climate change prevention and adaptation measures, or compatibility with laws protecting public water domains. They also note a failure to properly define the public hydraulic domain or integrate official risk maps, potentially violating water and environmental assessment laws.
Ben Magec has formally requested the complete withdrawal of the document during the public consultation period, reiterating that the territory in question has environmental fragility and a flood risk that have not been properly assessed. They also highlight a camouflaged proposal for over 470 new tourist beds, meaning the occupation of a public watercourse for a high-traffic leisure and accommodation activity contradicts principles of prevention and precaution.
Consequently, the federation has submitted formal objections citing substantial flaws in the strategic environmental assessment procedure and is calling for the suspension or annulment of the process until it is brought into full compliance with the law.
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