Six years after the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council announced an intervention to restore the ruins of the Castle of San Andrés and transform it into a tourist attraction, the site remains abandoned. The El Pescador Neighborhood Association has reported the deterioration of the castle's fencing and broken wooden stakes, warning about people entering to take photos, despite the inherent danger.
Residents point out that these unauthorized entries not only endanger the lives of those accessing the upper part of the castle but also threaten the historical heritage of the capital. They claim that some individuals even spend the night inside the Castle of San Andrés. The aforementioned association has urged the City Council to act immediately given the deteriorated condition of this historic monument, declared a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC).
“"At the time, the rehabilitation and use of this emblematic heritage site for San Andrés was announced, but the reality is that the promised projects never materialized."
A socialist councilor has questioned the Santa Cruz City Council's inaction in restoring this heritage, highlighting that the potential 'occupation' of the Castle of San Andrés is causing great concern among the town's inhabitants. He recalled that actions linked to DUSI funds were discussed but lost, and later European Next Generation funds, which also failed to materialize.
The same councilor stated that “institutional abandonment” continues to deteriorate historical sites and “foster situations of occupation and insecurity.” This situation is compounded by the former headquarters of the San Andrés Fishermen's Guild, which also faces neighborhood complaints about 'occupations'. The political party demands accountability and immediate action, emphasizing that San Andrés cannot continue to be a neighborhood of unfulfilled promises.
Meanwhile, the councilor for Infrastructure and Heritage, a nationalist representative, has assured that the Santa Cruz City Council will intervene in the Castle of San Andrés to rehabilitate and restore it “as soon as funding is available.” He noted that the Council is implementing the “most important historical heritage recovery plan in Canarias,” with an investment exceeding 40 million euros, and that the castle is included in this plan.
In 2019, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council launched a competition for ideas to restore the castle's ruins. In December 2020, the winning project was presented, proposing to transform the castle into a “visitable and pedestrian” space, eliminating vehicular traffic and parking in the area. The proposal outlined a “minimally invasive” intervention in the Tower of San Andrés, respecting the existing ruins, and included the construction of a visitor center and the creation of a pedestrian route.
The City Council initially attempted to fund the works with European DUSI funds but lost 1.7 million euros allocated for the renovation of the castle and the Hacienda de Cubas, as the works had to be completed by December 31, 2023. Administrative processing and the need to modify the initial project prevented compliance with deadlines. Subsequently, the City Council sought funding through Next Generation funds, but the proposal was denied.
