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Cabildo requests permission to move 14,400 m³ of sand from Maspalomas to Playa del Inglés

The request to Costas aims to reintroduce sand into the aeolian dynamic and mitigate overflow issues on the promenade.

Aerial view of the Maspalomas dunes and the coast of Playa del Inglés in Gran Canaria.
IA

Aerial view of the Maspalomas dunes and the coast of Playa del Inglés in Gran Canaria.

The Cabildo of Gran Canaria has requested authorization from the Demarcación de Costas to annually extract 14,400 cubic meters of sand from the Maspalomas dunes and deposit it on the shore of Playa del Inglés.

The Ministry of Environment of the Cabildo, coordinated by Raúl García Brink, has submitted the request to the Ministry for Ecological Transition. The objective is to move the excess sand from the dune section closest to the Paseo Costa Canaria, between the Mirador de las Dunas and the Hotel Santa Mónica, to reintroduce it into the aeolian dynamic of Playa del Inglés. Calculations from the Masdunas project estimate an annual extraction of 14,413.20 cubic meters, requiring a budget of approximately 201,919 euros and an execution period of at least 3.52 months, operating between 6:30 AM and 2:00 PM.
The Cabildo argues this measure is necessary due to the "serious overflow problem" of sand in the Maspalomas area, which has buried the promenade, eight inspection wells of the sanitation network within the Dunas de Maspalomas Nature Reserve, and public lighting poles. The request also aims to establish technical and scientific conditions for future authorizations, acknowledging that the sand movements carried out by the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council, while effective, are "insufficient" given the large volume of sand and the system's high dynamism.
According to data from the local government, between March 2024 and March 2026, municipal workers moved 7,072 tons of sand. However, technicians consider this insufficient to counteract the estimated average annual loss of 45,000 m³ at the tip of La Bajeta. Studies warn that at this rate, the dune system could disappear in approximately 90 years.
The request emphasizes the urgency of extracting and recovering the accumulated surplus. Furthermore, it highlights the need to reposition the stones deposited in the upper beach area of Playa del Inglés, where the sand is intended to be placed. These rocks interfere with the aeolian dynamic by accelerating sediment transport from the upper beach towards the interior of the dune field, preventing the formation of the dune mantle, which is the base for future embryonic dunes. A technical report also urges the urgent relocation of the sanitation network located within the dunes.

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