Councillor denies allegations over city plan

Santa Cruz councillor for town planning Luz Reverón González at the press conference on Wednesday.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Wednesday December 16 2009

SANTA Cruz councillor for town planning Luz Reverón González attempted to dispel concerns about the city's General Organisation Plan (PGO) on Wednesday.

by James Tweedie

Coalición Canaria councillor Ms Reverón denied that the plan to cap the height of buildings and the density of development in the regional capital would lead to surcharges on landlords, expropriations or restrictions on their property rights, or that it was intended to restrict development.

But the councillor insisted that the city could not stand any further increase in density, with the attendant increase in road traffic and congestion.

She claimed that without the PGO, Santa Cruz could neither diversify its economy nor complete existing plans such as the extension of the Tranvia tram system to Las Teresitas beach.

Ms Reverón said that negotiations were ongoing with the Socialist Party (PSC) opposition towards gaining approval for the plan.

Responding to PSC allegations that the town hall was hand-in-glove with some firms, Ms Reverón said: “My only pact is with the city.”

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