Residents appeal to council: “STOP! Before we lose our cliff…”
Decades-long residents in an urbanisation on top of Praia Pintadinho, in Ferragudo, have been horrified to learn that a new row of large houses is being planned metres from the edge of a cliff that has already been showing “material deterioration” for some years.
The group cannot understand what the council is thinking. Indeed, their spokesperson was actually informed by the council that it was a decision ‘out of the council’s hands’. She subsequently spent/ wasted time consulting other regulatory bodies, only to learn that it was indeed the council that had green-lighted the way forwards for this construction.
We are talking of three ‘lotes’ of an urbanisation initially planned in the 1960s (and a ruin under the cliff, on the beach). The years passed, new laws came in, protections to vulnerable coastlines were introduced: the front of Pintadinho beach became REN (national ecological reserve), and consequently various lotes were left unexploited. Then, post-pandemic, the council suddenly changed the zoning and allowed a generic PDM from 1997 to take precedence, say locals. “This is effectively opening the way to building about 3-5 metres from the cliff lines”, they say.
These various homeowners all have properties adjacent to the new lotes being ‘released’ (one of which is apparently already under ‘reserve’ offer). They are “terrified”, they say, that future construction will affect their own homes, given the quality of soil/ its friability and the fact these new properties are said to include ‘basements’.
Drilling down into the cliff, so close to the edge, could be disastrous, says the group – stressing that all households will be demanding “a detailed survey of the situation of our land and buildings and will seek compensation for any and all damage to our properties due to construction activity in the vicinity”, unless the council reconsiders.
The worst of this stress being put on local residents, some of which are elderly, is the nonsensical nature of paving the way for construction on, or close to, a vulnerable cliff face, metres from the sea.
“This has nothing to do with us being worried about losing our views”, explained one. “We are worried about losing our cliff, and our homes. This whole plan is madness. Even the fact that the council seems to think it can apply a generic PDM from 1997. These generic PDMs are surely destined for “normal areas in the interior”, not sensitive coastal areas that are already crumbling into the sea.
The Resident has sent this text, with requests for clarification, to Lagoa town council’s press office, and hopes to hear feedback soon.
As can be seen from the two images, the 2018 photograph shows no ‘rubble’ from rockfalls that have subsequently taken place. ND
