By: CECÍLIA PIRES
THE PORTUGUESE Environmental Ministry has pledged to take action to clarify the situation regarding the legality of recent building in urbanisations created in the Vila do Bispo and Aljezur areas in the 80s.
Specifics were not revealed to The Resident but the Ministry has assured all concerned that the measures will help to better protect investors who have or plan to purchase land and build homes in those locations.
The announcement comes after a number of property owners saw the construction of their houses in Urbanização dos Carriços, in Vila do Bispo, embargoed by the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina (PNSACV), as reported by The Resident on July 13.
A dispute ensued, involving the local câmara and the natural park because Vila do Bispo Câmara has been licensing properties in local urbanisations located in areas that are under the environmental jurisdiction of the park authority.
According to câmara officials, no special permit is required for the construction to be licensed. However, the park insists that a formal authorisation is needed.
As the dispute escalated, private property owners saw their investments put in jeopardy, without anyone being able to inform them when the wrangle is going to be solved.
A month after contacting the Environment Ministry, The Resident received a reply saying the delay was due to the need for careful analysis of “the complicated jurisdictional interpretations involved”.
Legal obligation
The ministry confirmed that any construction, reconstruction and rebuilding works in the PNSACV territory needs “a permit from the director”.
This legal obligation became effective in 1995 and resulted from the Plano de Ordenamento do PNSACV, the document that defines the park authority’s operational organisation.
However, Vila do Bispo Câmara has been licensing building projects in that urbanisation since 1986 and doesn’t recognise the 1995 legislation published by the government.
It now looks certain that unless a special status can be created for the cases already existing, the issue will have to be solved by the courts.
The owners now caught in the crossfire were informed by legal advisors they have bought and licensed that their properties under Portuguese law.
But, with the confusion reigning over the status of the purchases and seeing their money disappear without a chance of finding a solution, they appealed for the national government to help them without having to go to the courts.
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