Fuerteventura Hosts Urban Planning Conference with Industry Experts

The Official College of Architects of Fuerteventura (COAF) has launched the Urban Planning Workshops, a series that will run until March 27 and bring together professionals and specialists to examine key issues related to territorial planning and the island’s urban development.

The workshops are taking place at the Palace of Training and Congresses of Fuerteventura, organized by COAF and sponsored by the Cabildo of Fuerteventura through its Territory Planning Department, headed by Nereida Calero, as well as by the Municipality of Puerto del Rosario.

Nereida Calero, Island Councillor for Territory Planning, emphasized the importance of this training space, noting that over several weeks it will allow professionals to tackle fundamental questions in the sector. “These sessions contribute to updating knowledge and improving the training of those working in urban planning.”

David de Vera, Mayor of Puerto del Rosario, highlighted the value of the workshops for fostering knowledge exchange between professionals and public‑sector technicians. He added that urban planning instruments are “key elements that shape the future development of municipalities and islands.”

During the opening ceremony, Javier Gutiérrez, Treasurer of the College of Architects of Fuerteventura, welcomed participants and thanked the sponsoring institutions and the invited experts for their collaboration.

Jorge Arribas, Dean of COAF, stressed that the workshops provide “an opportunity to deepen the technical, legal, and environmental aspects of urban planning, as well as the tools and systems needed for plan implementation.”

Across multiple sessions, the program will cover:

• Urban planning fundamentals
• Environmental assessment of plans
• Administrative procedures
• Management and development mechanisms for planning

In the first weekend, the foundations of urban planning will be examined in presentations by Dr. Architect Jesús Álvarez, followed by a discussion on environmental assessment of partial plans led by Geographer and University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria professor Feliciano Tavío.

The next block of sessions, scheduled for March 20‑21, will focus on tools for urban planning development. Participants will include Mercedes Contreras, Secretary of the Municipality of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and President of ACADUR, and Jesús Luna, Technical Architect of the Government of the Canary Islands.

The series will conclude on March 27 with a session dedicated to the legal foundations of urban planning, presented by Senior Public Administration Technician and University of La Laguna professor Eduardo Risueño.

Through this initiative, the Official College of Architects of Fuerteventura aims to stimulate debate and reflection on current territorial planning challenges, at a time when land use management and sustainable development rank among the island’s most pressing future concerns.