The General Directorate of Culture and Cultural Heritage of the Government of Canarias has submitted a request to the Ministry of Culture to stop the imminent demolition of the Type P grain Silo, located in the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This building, considered a heritage asset of high historical, architectural, and symbolic value for the archipelago, is currently undergoing a public tender process by the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with a budget of approximately 1.5 million euros.
In a letter addressed to the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts of the Government of Spain, the regional executive warns of the “imminent risk” of the property's destruction. The official communication highlights that the tender process is at an advanced stage, anticipating a forthcoming award and the commencement of demolition works if “urgent measures” are not taken.
This situation could cause “real, immediate, and irreversible” damage to a “key” element of industrial heritage, in violation of the duty of protection enshrined in the Constitution.
The General Directorate of Culture and Cultural Heritage argues that, as the silo is located within state port public domain, its protection falls under the responsibility of the General State Administration, limiting the autonomous community's capacity to act. Therefore, the Ministry of Culture is urged to act “urgently” through dialogue with Puertos del Estado, the adoption of precautionary measures to halt the demolition, and the assessment of initiating proceedings for its declaration as a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC).
The Government of Canarias emphasizes the “essential” state intervention to prevent the “irreversible loss” of this unique element of Canarian industrial and cultural heritage. Various public administrations in Canarias have expressed their support for the silo's preservation. The City Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has recommended its protection due to its “great historical and cultural relevance,” and the Cabildo de Tenerife has offered its collaboration for a technical study prior to any intervention.
Furthermore, the Official College of Architects of Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro has proposed viable technical solutions for the silo's rehabilitation and reuse, compatible with port uses and aligned with the principles of the National Industrial Heritage Plan. The silo is an exceptional piece of Spanish industrial heritage, part of the post-war National Network of Silos and Granaries, and the only Type P port silo preserved in Spain, notable for its architectural and technological values and its significance as a landscape landmark on the waterfront of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
