Adeje Launches Eviction Process for Tenerife’s Largest Illegal Settlement
The Adeje Council, in collaboration with the Canary Islands Government and various security forces, has started issuing eviction orders to residents of Tenerife’s largest illegal settlement. The area, located between Calle Idafe and the access road to Puertito, is adjacent to the controversial luxury development, Cuna del Alma.
Residents of makeshift homes, formerly agricultural land, have 15 days to dismantle their structures and restore the land. Most of these homes are precariously built with wooden pallets, though there are also caravans and prefabricated houses equipped with solar panels, some even boasting pools. The local government has noted incidents of illegal residential and holiday rentals in this area, which is next to the La Caleta Scientific Interest Site.
The council estimates that between 300 and 500 people live in this settlement. This effort to clear the settlement marks the beginning of a wider initiative, which will extend to other parts of Adeje, including El Valito, Llano Negro, and Las Moreras.
The decision to dismantle these informal camps, situated in a key tourist area with no legal basis for occupying protected land, was made at a meeting in June. Adeje’s Security Councillor, Mercedes Vargas, highlighted a shift in the situation from temporary housing to irregular long-term rentals, exacerbated by waste accumulation damaging public health and the environment.
Security services are working alongside Urban Planning and Social Services to address vulnerability among residents. Those identified as vulnerable will receive support, while the majority must vacate the area within two weeks or risk forced eviction and legal consequences.
Eviction notices are being delivered to those occupying both irregular rustic land and properties along the protected coastal strip, where any construction requires special permission. No such permissions exist for the current structures.
The presence of illegal settlements across Tenerife, particularly in tourist hotspots like Adeje, has become a significant challenge for local authorities. Areas affected include Camino de la Virgen, Llano Blanco, and Lomo Negro. Around 4,000 people occupy various lands with makeshift homes along a 30-kilometre stretch of coastline.
In response to this growing issue, authorities are taking action. Arona was the first to conduct operations against illegal settlements in this context. Recently, over 80 officials conducted a similar operation at Los Vivitos.
Adeje’s recent actions will involve opening individual reports for each identified dwelling under the Land Law. While these procedures ensure legal safety, physical actions to evict will proceed concurrently. The Urban Planning Councillor, Manuel Luis Méndez, noted that most identified cases relate to second homes or alternative living arrangements rather than genuine housing needs.
Councillor Méndez emphasised the necessity for intervention, pointing to a successful previous eviction at Diego Hernández as proof that careful preparation can minimise impact on residents. However, Raquel Rodríguez, head of Social Welfare, reports that most residents of the settlements are not in vulnerable situations, with only a few requiring further attention from social services.
