Demolition of 140 houses announced by Loulé mayor, Vítor Aleixo
The municipal council of Loulé in the Algarve is moving forward with the demolition of 140 wooden houses built ilegally in the municipality. In total, nearly 700 illegal structures have already been identified and are now in the crosshairs of local authorities.
The demolition process is already underway, Loulé mayor Vítor Aleixo told Lusa news agency this Wednesday. On January 17, the council began taking action against 25 homes, with an additional 116 properties next in line for demolition. A budget of €200,000 has been allocated this year to continue the crackdown.
For those refusing to leave voluntarily, the council will seize administrative control of the properties, giving homeowners just one to two months to vacate, Aleixo said.
The announcement comes just days after the council reported a surge in illegal constructions in the municipality, warning citizens to abide by urban regulations.
Said the council in a statement, many of these structures fail to meet legal requirements and are often located in restricted areas designated as National Agricultural Reserve (RAN) or National Ecological Reserve (REN) under the Municipal Master Plan (PDM).
The local authority called on property owners and potential buyers of rural land to ensure full compliance with urban planning laws before embarking on construction projects, as violations may result in substantial financial losses, legal penalties, and even criminal charges for breaching urban regulations.
The council adds that a recent amendment to the Urbanisation and Building Legal Framework (RJUE), effective January 8, 2024, specifically places modular buildings under this regime, including factory-produced, transportable or fixed modular systems, which are now classified as urban operations requiring prior approval from the municipal council and, in some cases, additional entities.
“Aside from the financial and legal damage caused to offenders, these situations divert public funds away from essential services (if in fact coercive demolitions are carried out),” the council says.
The proliferation of illegal constructions also takes a toll on the environment, it says, disrupting landscapes and damaging Loulé’s natural heritage.
