The Plaza shopping centre in Playa del Inglés, one of the main nightlife areas for tourists in Gran Canaria, which has been closed for over two years after it was left without electricity due to a fire, will be allowed to partially reopen as the community of owners are negotiating a new electrical installation with the Department of Energy of the Canary Islands Government.
The community has overcome the final obstacle that was in the way, that of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council, who sealed the facility in February 2022. They initially opposed the request of the complex to reopen as they looked at the commercial centre as a whole. However, they have now agreed that the shops and nightlife venues can reopen, but the parking will remain closed until a new installation is complete.
A meeting between the Town Planning Councillor, Samuel Henríquez, the president of the community of the Plaza shopping centre, and municipal technicians, has cleared the way for the proposal, since, it already has approval from the Department of Energy, who are the ones that have to approve a new electrical installation at the complex.
Henríquez explained that the community must first obtain a written resolution from the Department of Energy and then submit it to the Council together with the project of the works that have been carried out.
"For our part, the council has promised to expedite the visit of the technician to the facilities so that, if his report is favourable, we can lift the seal and facilitate the reopening. They have explained to us that of the 60 or 70 stores that are in the Plaza, at first about 20 will reopen, which will allow between 60 and 70 workers to go back to work and be removed from ERTE.”
Henríquez justifies the change in municipal position after learning that there is a legal and technical formula for the partial reopening and because he also understands that this measure contributes to the local economy. In addition, he acknowledges that they had assessed the situation of the centre and the parking as one, which is usual for a shopping centre, however, this case is different. The 300 garage spaces are mostly owned by people from outside the commercial centre.
The parking must reopen within two years:
The community of the Plaza shopping centre confirmed yesterday (Friday) that the partial reopening granted by the Department of Energy is conditional on the necessary works being carried out within two years so that the parking can be reopened. It has already been partially walled up to prevent its use and allow the work to be carried out.
They calculate that the works already carried out have cost more than 400,000 euros, covered, for the most part, "by the economic management of the community", plus extra contributions of 85,000 euros. At this stage, they said they can’t confirm what the cost of the work in the parking will be, but assured them that they will start them as soon as possible. "We are not going to wait for two years."
