Vineyards and banana plantations compete with housing for La Frontera's scarce flat land

A fertile valley in high demand

La Frontera holds the most productive farmland on El Hierro: vineyards under the denomination of origin, banana plantations and pineapple.

Plots that do not change use easily

Much of the farmland is protected by its designation as rural agricultural land.

The indirect pressure on the housing market

The supply of residential land is concentrated almost entirely in Tigaday and Las Puntas.

Crops that also bring jobs and keep people rooted

Winemakers argue that the vineyards keep young people on the land.

Striking a difficult balance

Any review of planning policy will have to reconcile traditional farming with housing.

The most fertile valley on a volcanic island

El Golfo, the geological depression that holds La Frontera, is the only stretch of fertile land of any size on the whole island. Generations of farmers have shaped the landscape with vineyards, banana plantations and, more recently, pineapple grown under netting. Any decision on land use carries a symbolic weight that goes well beyond economics.

Agricultural protection holds back residential growth

Designation as rural agricultural land expressly prevents much of the valley's farmland from being turned over to housing. That protection, intended to preserve farming, now also acts as an unintended brake on housing growth. The Cabildo is treading carefully given the valley's strategic value to the denomination of origin.

Tigaday and Las Puntas, the only outlet for housing

With expansion onto farmland blocked, residential supply is concentrated in these two settlements, the only ones with consolidated urban land. That concentration has pushed up the price of the few plots available in both. Developers warn that the room for growth is starting to run out there too.

Winemakers and young farmers stand up for the land

Winemakers under the denomination of origin insist that the vineyards keep young families tied to the area. Sacrificing farmland for housing might solve one problem in the short term and create a bigger one in the long run. Young farmers who have taken up pineapple growing share that view and are calling for the best land to be protected.