Court Recognizes Municipal Ownership of Salinas Golf Desalination Plant
The Municipality of Antigua announced a first‑instance ruling from the Contentious‑Administrative Court confirming that the service parcel hosting the desalination and water‑treatment facilities of the Las Salinas urbanisation (sector 9 of the General Urban Planning Plan) belongs to the municipality.
According to the information released by the council, the decision dismisses the contentious‑administrative appeal filed by the bankruptcy administrator of Ramiterra S.L. and upholds the municipal claim that the parcel is an obligatory and gratuitous concession linked to basic technical infrastructure serving the urban area.
The corporation argues that these lands must be classified as instrumental assets, since they are dedicated to essential urban services such as water supply and treatment, and notes that it has defended this position throughout the entire procedure.
This ruling is part of the broader dispute over the reception of the Las Salinas urbanisation. In November, the municipality had already reported another favorable first‑instance judgment, as well as an advisory opinion from the Canary Islands Consultative Council that aligned with the municipal stance on the parcel’s public ownership.
The council also disclosed that it had filed a bankruptcy incident before the Commercial Court to request the exclusion of the parcel from Ramiterra’s bankruptcy proceedings and to obtain a precautionary suspension of the auction of the lot that included it.
The Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) ruled in favor of the Municipality of Antigua’s ownership of the Salinas Golf desalination plant parcel.
“This is a magnificent piece of news for our municipality,” said Mayor Matías Peña, describing the decision as an important victory in the urbanisation reception process.
“The judgment recognises municipal ownership of the parcel and of the assets incorporated in the public domain that are linked to the public service,” he added.