Canary Coalition debates land issues and rising shantytowns

The Majorera Assembly of the Coalition Canaria in Fuerteventura convened on Wednesday for an island‑wide political council focused on the proliferation of irregular housing and the growing phenomenon of “chabolismo” (illegal shanty settlements) across the island. The issue has intensified in recent years, often resulting in indiscriminate consumption of rural or environmentally protected land.

Coordinated Government Action

To tackle the problem, the party agreed to launch coordinated actions involving the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, the six municipal councils, and the Government of the Canary Islands, through the Agency for the Protection of the Natural Environment—a public consortium of the autonomous community. The agency will carry out inspections and impose sanctions related to environmental protection, natural‑resource management, and territorial‑urban planning.

Types of Irregular Settlements

During the meeting, Manuel Miranda, Councillor for Territorial Policy of the Canary Islands Government, outlined the main typologies of illegal settlements identified on Fuerteventura:

• Adapted containers, permanent caravans, and prefabricated houses that often lack basic habitability standards and essential services.
• Illegal parceling of rural land, which includes the creation of access roads and the gradual installation of dwellings equipped with water, electricity, or septic tanks.
• Long‑term occupation of coastal and sensitive natural areas, where continuous presence of residents or temporary workers leads to settlements that exert significant pressure on the environment.

“Although part of these settlements stems from difficulty accessing housing, we also find cases linked to second homes or alternative lifestyles,” Miranda explained.

“These illegal parceling activities are usually tied to speculation or recreational use, often with the expectation of future legalization,” he added.

“The settlement at the entrance to Gran Tarajal, built on gullies in rural land and classified as flood‑prone, poses a risk to the physical safety of its inhabitants,” Miranda emphasized.

Underlying Causes

The Assembly highlighted that the issue cannot be addressed solely through urban‑planning sanctions, as it is also rooted in the broader challenge of housing accessibility. Nevertheless, the mounting territorial pressure on Fuerteventura underscores the need to act against irregular constructions—especially on rural land—used for second homes or land speculation.

Planning and Legal Framework

The coalition stressed that territorial and urban planning is essential for sustainable island development and must incorporate the concept of the island’s carrying capacity as a key tool to prevent similar situations in the future. Current regulations state that any residential activity on rural land is illegal, except for authorized agricultural constructions.

“The current Island Development Plan of Fuerteventura (PIOF) does not permit construction on rural land,” the Assembly noted.

Proposed Measures

The Assembly put forward a series of concrete actions:

• Strengthen public information via municipal technical offices to clarify the legal limits of such constructions.
• Intensify monitoring of illegal settlements and buildings.
• Reinforce the sanctioning regime and coordinate actions with local police forces.
• Launch awareness campaigns on the environmental and territorial impact of building on rural land and the prolonged occupation of especially sensitive zones.

These steps aim to curb the expansion of illegal housing, protect vulnerable ecosystems, and ensure that future development respects both legal frameworks and the island’s ecological limits.