David de Vera estimates the demolition of Marlape at €1.2 million

Demolishing Marlape: €1.2 Million

“The Puerto del Rosario City Council does not want those houses demolished.”

Mayor David de Vera repeated these words during an interview on the program La Voz de Fuerteventura on Radio Insular, explaining that the urban‑discipline file opened against the property owner is still proceeding.

He revealed that the council has begun applying the first coercive fine, set at €3,000 per month in cases like this, with a process that can reach up to ten sanctions. If SAREB does not respond, the administrative route could lead to a subsidiary execution.

“If there is non‑compliance, the council itself will have to enforce the measure,” warned De Vera.

The council has already quantified the cost of a possible demolition:

“We have the economic valuation of demolishing those buildings – we are talking about €1.2 million, €1,243,000 to be exact,” the councilor detailed, hoping that the arrival of demolition equipment will be the last resort.

There is still the possibility of legalising the houses through an urbanisation project adapted to current planning.

“The promoter must be willing to legalise those homes,” he emphasized.

So far, SAREB has initiated contact and sent information to the council, but the mayor acknowledges that progress is limited.

The Marlape conflict is not only urbanistic; it also has a clear social dimension. The houses, occupied in precarious conditions, have been the scene of serious incidents. The latest was an assault on two young people.

“It was not a party, but a fairly serious assault,” the mayor clarified, dismissing earlier versions and recognising coexistence problems that cause discomfort, especially among residents of neighbouring urbanisations who are demanding solutions.

Almost 75 % of the Budget Executed, Including Remainders

The ordinary plenary session this afternoon debated the liquidation of the 2025 budget. The balance shows an execution of 74.84 % of a total close to €90 million, including leftovers.

The unexecuted remainder will be incorporated into the next fiscal year, the councilor stressed. He advocates a realistic budget that is financially balanced, prioritising essential services, strategic investments, and co‑financing to boost important infrastructure.

He announced that works on Avenida Primero de Mayo are entering their final phase.

“We have about a month to a month and a half of works left,” De Vera said. The project has involved a complete renewal of services and will lead to the pedestrianisation of the historic centre.

Co‑financed by the Government of the Canary Islands (Tourism and Employment Department), the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, and the municipal council, the project exceeds €2 million and stretches from Calle Virgen del Rosario to the municipal market area.

“It is an ambitious and beautiful project,” De Vera affirmed, warning that its execution will last approximately 12 months.

Before that deadline, the Municipal Market will be definitively reactivated. After resolving legal reports and keeping the butcher stalls—because they have kept the market alive—the council plans to tender the remaining stalls and hospitality establishments.

“Within six months all these stalls could be awarded,” he highlighted.

Dismantling of the El Charco Power Plant and “Political Interests”

When questioned about the May start of the dismantling of the power plant in El Charco, De Vera defended the role of the Puerto del Rosario City Council in the process that led to this scenario.

“If this possibility exists today, it is because other administrations, including the Cabildo and the City Council, have opposed it from the very beginning,” he asserted.

The mayor criticised the role of the Government of the Canary Islands, accusing the minister of acting with political interests.

“He comes to sell something he has had nothing to do with,” he said, insisting that the real impetus has come from the Ministry of Ecological Transition, the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, and the City Council, which have opposed the project from day one.