Cantabria opens public consultation to protect the Clock Tower of Limpias

The file to declare the Otero Tower, popularly known as the Clock Tower, in the municipality of Limpias, as an Asset of Local Interest under the category of Monument is subject to public consultation for one month. This was decided by the General Directorate of Culture and Historical Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport of the Government of Cantabria. The announcement is published in the Official Gazette of Cantabria number 209, dated October 30, 2026, section 7.5 (Miscellaneous), with the official reference CVE-2026-8459 and on page 55777.

One month to examine the file

The period for submitting allegations is one month starting from the publication of the announcement in the Official Gazette of Cantabria, that is, from this October 30. During this period, anyone interested in the matter may examine the file and present the allegations they deem appropriate.

The processing is supported by article 28 bis.2 of Law 11/1998, of October 13, on the Cultural Heritage of Cantabria, and article 83 of Law 39/2015, of October 1, on the Common Administrative Procedure of Public Administrations. The announcement itself justifies the opening of the procedure based on “the scope of the intended action.”

The file is currently being processed and is not yet resolved: the public consultation is the phase prior to the formal declaration, meaning that the classification of the tower as a protected monument is not yet definitive.

Where and how to consult

The consultation of the file is carried out by prior appointment at a single point enabled by the ministry:

• Cultural Heritage Service of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport.
• Address: Juan de Santander street, 19, first floor, 39009 Santander.
• Requirement: prior appointment.
• Period for allegations: one month from the publication of the announcement.

Allegations must be submitted within the aforementioned period; the announcement does not detail other channels, so the usual administrative registry route remains open to those who are not direct owners of the property.

What the Asset of Local Interest status implies

The declaration is proposed under the category of Monument, the highest within the Asset of Local Interest status regulated by the regional cultural heritage legislation. The classification applies to the property specified in the file, the Otero Tower, and not to the municipality as a whole.

The announcement was signed in Santander on October 26, 2026, by the Director General of Culture and Historical Heritage, Eva Guillermina Fernández Ortiz, four days before its publication. The motivation expressed by the Administration is the scope of the action, without the text detailing at this stage the delimitation of the surroundings or the protection conditions that will be established in the resolution that concludes the procedure.

The procedure directly affects the property owners and the surrounding neighbors, who are given a one-month window to submit observations before the declaration is consolidated.

Closing

The protection of the Clock Tower of Limpias thus enters its decisive phase: any neighbor or interested party wishing to influence the file has one month, starting from October 30, to review the file in Santander and submit allegations. The resolution that closes the procedure will determine the conservation regime and the urban planning limitations of the property and its surroundings.

Source: Official Gazette of Cantabria, No. 209, of October 30, 2026, section 7.5 (Miscellaneous), page 55777 (official reference: CVE-2026-8459).