The Gran Canaria train project receives its Environmental Impact Statement and moves towards implementation

The Gran Canaria Island Council has obtained the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the train project, which allows it to move forward with the administrative procedures for the execution of the railway infrastructure between Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Maspalomas.

The President of the Gran Canaria Island Council, Antonio Morales, stated that “the development of guided transport is key to moving towards a more sustainable mobility model on the island” and highlighted that during the current term, “the technical projects have been completed and progress has been made on the necessary agreements with the State.” In this regard, he added that “work is also underway on actions related to the future airport station” and pointed out that the approval of the General State Budget will be crucial for securing the project’s funding.

The Minister of Territorial Policy, Inés Miranda, explained that the agreement incorporates measures aimed at “reducing intervention on the land and guaranteeing the protection of the landscape,” as well as the establishment of “a monitoring committee that will oversee compliance with all the planned measures during implementation.” She also emphasized the importance of integrating infrastructure such as “the San Telmo station, in relation to the waterfront, and the Maspalomas terminal, in accordance with the established criteria.”

For his part, the Minister of the Presidency and Sustainable Mobility, Teodoro Sosa, indicated that the resolution comes after “an evaluation process that has included numerous sessions of the environmental body and a review of the various projects that make up the infrastructure.” He also noted that this progress allows them to continue with the necessary planning for the financing and development of the planned actions, following the work carried out in recent years to revive the project.

A procedure that has been open since 2010

The process for obtaining the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) began in 2010 with the submission of a request to the Government of the Canary Islands for the scope of the environmental impact study. The file remained under regional processing until its reactivation in June 2023 by the Gran Canaria Island Council and the project developer, Ferrocarriles de Gran Canaria (Gran Canaria Railways).

During the public consultation phase, 21 objections and 23 reports were received, analyzed, and responded to. Between 2023 and January 2026, six requests for clarification were addressed, incorporating additional documentation on historical and cultural heritage, the self-consumption wind farm, and planned actions at the San Telmo station.

Environmental conditions and monitoring

In this regard, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) concludes that no significant adverse environmental effects are anticipated if the planned preventive, corrective, and monitoring measures are implemented. The agreement includes the creation of a monitoring committee with the participation of the Gran Canaria Island Council, the Government of the Canary Islands, the Spanish State Administration, and the affected municipalities.

Following the issuance of the DIA, the next steps include the analysis of the projects according to the established requirements, their adaptation, final approval, the start of the expropriation procedures and the work prior to the execution of the work.