La Laguna has formalised the award and commissioning of the World Heritage Site Management Plan, a key document for UNESCO designed to serve as a roadmap guiding the conservation, planning and sustainable development of the historic site, its buffer zone and its surroundings over the coming years. The contract, now finalised, has been awarded through the Office for the Comprehensive Management of the Historic City (OGICH), which is linked to the Urban Planning Department, and represents a decisive step in the paradigm shift initiated following the strategic analysis carried out to mark the 25th anniversary of La Laguna’s designation as a World Heritage City.

The Plan is structured into four complementary lots, awarded through an open tender process, with a total strategic investment for the only city in the Canary Islands to hold this distinction amounting to €595,490.62. The project has a five-year implementation period, comprising successive phases of work, implementation, follow-up and monitoring, and is scheduled to run for a decade. Furthermore, the first citizen participation initiative is expected to begin at the end of next April.

The Mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, emphasises that “this Management Plan is probably the most important document La Laguna has tackled since its designation as a World Heritage Site. It is not merely a formality; it is the tool that will enable us to ensure the conservation of our Outstanding Universal Value and, at the same time, to plan for a vibrant, liveable city that is proud of its identity. Today we are taking a historic step towards securing a tool that will place La Laguna on a par with international best practice”.

For his part, Adolfo Cordobés, the Councillor for Spatial Planning and Cultural Heritage, emphasises that “this Plan represents a fundamental shift in the way we understand and manage our heritage, as we move from a physically-centred approach to a holistic one that incorporates mobility, lighting, risk management, the local economy, public participation and sustainability. It will be a living document, with indicators, monitoring and the ability to adapt to a constantly changing society”.

A major project divided into four operational sections

The Management Plan has been divided into four specialised plans to ensure a comprehensive approach, each addressing the key areas that shape the urban experience and heritage conservation.

The Strategic and Operational Plan, awarded to the joint venture between Fundación Ecológica Urbana y Territorial and Cabrera Febles Arquitectos for a sum of €133,500, sets out strategies to contribute to the conservation and protection of the historic site, its buffer zone and its surroundings. This will involve implementing a documented management system that will enable the quality of life of the resident population to be measured, as well as ensuring the effective protection of the site for present and future generations.

In addition to this is the Mobility and Open Space Design Plan, awarded to the Buchanan-Trion joint venture for €218,102.21, which will help to promote a model aimed at strengthening the urban and heritage identity, improving the integration of the historic quarter with its surroundings, and ensuring its accessibility, liveability and long-term conservation.

This technical package is rounded off by the Lighting Plan, awarded to Intervento for €135,646.91, the aim of which is to design a lighting system that respects the heritage character of the site, enhances safety and environmental quality, and improves the perception and presentation of the heritage at night. It will also include impact assessments to prevent any adverse effects on the heritage.

Running parallel to the above initiatives, the Participation and Communication Plan will be implemented; this has been commissioned from Urbanfix for €108,241.50 and is designed to serve as the cornerstone for ensuring public ownership of the heritage and its sustainability through participatory and inclusive mechanisms and collaborative governance systems.

This plan will run alongside all phases of the other three projects throughout the five-year contract period (which includes development and monitoring), ensuring that the public is not only heard but also has a real say in shaping the site’s management model, thereby strengthening the community aspect and the living character of the lagoon heritage.

A paradigm shift for the Canary Islands’ only World Heritage City

La Laguna views this Management Plan as a historic opportunity to modernise its urban model and align itself with UNESCO’s contemporary vision, which regards heritage as a living ecosystem in which architecture, community, identity, the local economy and the urban landscape form an inseparable whole.

In this regard, the initiative is based on the premise that heritage is not just buildings, but the people who bring them to life, and that management must incorporate social, economic and environmental factors, preventing phenomena such as the loss of identity and enabling rigorous planning.

In fact, UNESCO stipulates in its Operational Guidelines that all World Heritage properties must have an up-to-date Management Plan to ensure effective and sustainable conservation that is adapted to contemporary challenges.

Genuine, structured and meaningful public participation

To achieve these objectives, La Laguna will launch a broad, professional and accessible participatory process, which will be developed and announced shortly and whose main requirement will be to ensure that it is a structured, transparent process that has a real impact on the final document.

Furthermore, the model envisaged for the various lots will be based on indicators, monitoring and continuous improvement. To this end, each document will incorporate monitoring mechanisms, pilot schemes and periodic evaluation systems, so that the Management Plan is not a static document, but a living system that is continually adjusted and improved.

With the signing of these contracts, La Laguna is embarking on a process that will shape its urban, heritage and social landscape for the next decade. A project which, in the mayor’s words, “defines how we want to experience our heritage over the next 25 years: with balance, participation, vision and pride”.

It should also be noted that the Management Plan does not replace the Special Protection Plan (PEP) for the Historic City, but rather complements and conceptually updates it, within a shared system where both are necessary to address current challenges. The Town Planning Department has set itself the objective of putting out to tender the drafting of the PEP update during this financial year.