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Environment Minister plans to end Armona island land dispute

PinaOlhaoThe Minister of the Environment, João Pedro Matos Fernandes, has come to the rescue of the city’s Socialist Party mayor, António Pina (pictured).

On Monday's agenda, as minister João Matos Fernandes visited Olhão's town hall, was the hot topic of the feud between mayor Pina and Sebastião Teixeira at the Portuguese Environment Agency which has resulted in Teixeira issuing a demolition notice to a British couple who were half way though building a home on Armona island.

The property in question, owned by Paul Roseby and James Tod, is on Public Maritime Land, as are 139 other Armona island properties, yet the house received planning permission from the town hall. Two old structures were demolished and a new house was started, only to be halted with a demolition notice with a start date of August 1st, 2017.

Mayor Pina said he was very pleased with the talks he had with the minister, "I have reason to be satisfied, and there are many Olhanenses who have houses on the island of Armona."

The optimism of António Miguel Pina is based on what he calls a commitment from João Matos Fernandes that, "by the end of 2017, the all-important Armona Intervention and Re-qualification Plan (PIR) will be approved by Fernandes."

This moves a line on the Armona map to incorporate this group of illegal properties with other legal houses on Armona, a island that comes under Olhão council’s management.

In addition, the minister made it clear that before the end of 2017, the council’s concession for Armona will be renewed for another period of 30 years, along with this new land deliniation so as to “to safeguard the interests of all those who own a house on the island.”

Mayor Pina’s praise for the minister approached lyricism, commenting that, "as a result of these talks, I once again came to realise that we have in the Ministry of the Environment a skillful negotiator, a man who is attentive to the details of an area such as the island of Armona and of its inhabitants. We have been able to demonstrate to the minister the importance of these two documents, and he has been sensitive to our appeals."

Paul Roseby commented to algarvedailynews this morning,

“We haven't heard it officially and no contact has been made to tell us the news, but if this is true and we are included in the new PIR, we are thrilled especially for all the islanders who deserve peace and security for the very first time on Armona.

"Pina has pulled the rabbit out of the hat for his citizens and we thank him hugely. It's what we've been fighting for.”

“Today is a very happy day for all Olhanenses, particularly the residents of Armona island," said António Miguel Pina after leaving the meeting with the Environment Minister.

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Comments  

+4 #9 Neil M 2017-08-29 21:43
Details of corruption please !!
-5 #8 john clare 2017-08-29 18:43
Guys, you argue like North Europeans. You seem to forget that you are in Portugal. They do things differently here. This is a country riddled with corruption. You either have to live with that, or try to change it, or go somewhere that appeals more to your ethical ideas. The government morality in this country deeply offends me, and increasingly I can’t justify living under and paying taxes to a totally corrupt regime. Complaining to each other won’t do much. This country needs a revolution. It’s a pity they didn’t have a proper one way back.
A direct answer to Peter would be: the thing the guys did wrong was to invest in a corrupt society. The sweet talking tourist agencies and their hangers-on carefully edit their ad-speak. I think I’m the only one (besides our beloved editor here) who tells the truth about this place, and the silly thing is, nobody likes to believe these things till they’ve been shafted. Wise-up guys. This stuff is the order of the day in this country.
+8 #7 Neil M 2017-08-24 08:08
Olhao council have allowed the urbanisation of this public amenity to exist and grow, even though they are aware that it forms part of the protected Natural Park of the Ria Formosa Lagoon.
The decision makers must consider the environment of this fragile landscape and insist that the dwellings must be removed and removed by the people who put them there in the first place.
A hotel in East Algarve did not get planning permission recently, because the proposed building would be too close to the sea.
How can the Environment Minister allow houses to remain on this or any of the islands of the Ria Formosa, taking into consideration the above decision.
It is either a Natural Park and wildlife sanctuary or it is not.
The decision he and his colleagues will make, will influence the direction of this wonderful amenity that should be enjoyed by all and not just the few.
+6 #6 Peter Booker 2017-08-23 09:16
I note your collective assurances that Rosebery & Tod have done nothing wrong. But if they did everything by the rules, how is it that they have been fined, and as I understand the matter, more than once? And if it was Olhão Council which perpetrated the wrong doing, how is it that the owners of the house have been fined, and not the council?

And what about the imperfect legal advice received by Rosebery & Tod? What happens to their lawyer? Portugal is awash with lawyers, but do they know anything about the law on planning and development?

It seems from Natasha´s posted reply that there is risk still hanging over the part-built house, at least until the PIR comes into effect.
-3 #5 Steve.O 2017-08-22 13:41
Yes but .... what is so bizarre is that we have yet more deja vu. A situation gets into the English language news in the UK (left in expat webpages and even the ADN and sadly it would have not raised an elite Portuguese eyebrow) that makes Portugal as a country look silly yet again and .... hey presto - wriggle room is found.

Hopefully, even when their house is sorted and (ha ha) they are fully compensated including for their stress - Roseby & Tod will remain on board helping all the other thousands caught up in Portuguese bureaucratic and court nightmares. Also, to keep it newsworthy - how about it lads ? A long running theatrical show in the London West End - with the catchy title "Nightmare on Armona Island".
0 #4 GeoffB 2017-08-22 12:53
Quoting Peter Booker:
But what about the planned demolition date of 1st August? Has Fernandes cancelled it? The new PIR plan will be in place by the end of 2017, well after the election process. Will Fernandes be in his present post still? Sebastião Teixeira lurks in the background, and there is no mention him in this talk of the PIR plan.

While I have every sympathy for Rosebery & Tod, I feel that they are not yet out of the wood. Has anyone actually told them what they did wrong?
August 1st is the date after which a demolition can be actioned. There is no reason Fernandes will be affected by the local council elections. Mayor Pina will be, if he loses. The Britons did nothing wrong, the council did by granting permssion for a property on Public Maritime Domain land. Teixeira will be fuming and hopefully will be removed from APA and sent to a dark and distant planet to continue his particular brand of management.
-2 #3 Natasha Bund 2017-08-22 11:38
"While I have every sympathy for Rosebery & Tod, I feel that they are not yet out of the wood. Has anyone actually told them what they did wrong?"

First, Peter, they did nothing wrong. They were simply caught in the crossfire between Olhão council and APA which has fortunately been put on hold during 'negotiations' with the environment ministry... the August 1 date was never set in stone, it was a date at which point demolition could go ahead. If there is any justice in this situation, the demolition will not happen before the PIR comes into effect, and once that happens, James Tod and Paul Roseby can restart the building of their island home. The whole experience has cost them thousands of euros, and nights of lost sleep - not to mention heightened anxiety - and the 14th month delay will have meant that a lot of building work has to be redone.

But the worst of this situation is that it could so easily have been avoided... like I say, if there is any justice in this situation, the next step will be to remove the man in this controversy who believes lives are expendable.
-2 #2 Margareth van Meer 2017-08-22 10:54
Nobody did, because they DIDN'T do anything wrong!! They did EVERYTHING by the rules. That's the reason they are so upset...During the demonstration last week I was holding a banner with the text: 'Justice, NO Jealousy.' Hear, hear!
+2 #1 Peter Booker 2017-08-22 09:12
But what about the planned demolition date of 1st August? Has Fernandes cancelled it? The new PIR plan will be in place by the end of 2017, well after the election process. Will Fernandes be in his present post still? Sebastião Teixeira lurks in the background, and there is no mention him in this talk of the PIR plan.

While I have every sympathy for Rosebery & Tod, I feel that they are not yet out of the wood. Has anyone actually told them what they did wrong?

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