The president of the Portuguese Association of Municipalities with Historical Centres (APMCH) today advocated the need to streamline the permit process for the rehabilitation of historical centres and to be able to fine investors who give up on projects.
"Portugal surely loses many investors because they realise that we have many rules and opinions, some of which overlap," said Victor Mendes, recognising the efforts of the government to alleviate the associated paperwork, but arguing that there is still a way to go.
The official was speaking on the first day of the XV National Conference of Municipalities with Historic Centres, which runs in Lagos until Saturday with the participation of the heads of various municipalities of the country.
According to the Mayor of Ponte de Lima, there was a "significant effort" to reduce the bureaucracy through the government's creation of an exceptional regime for urban renewal, but that this process still needs to be streamlined.
"The authorities have many difficulties and in many situations they have the legal expertise and the autonomy to be able to decide on the viability of investments," he noted.
Asked about the number of opinions and the overlap of relevant powers, the Secretary of State for Local Government António Leitão Amaro said that this only happens in a minority of cases, especially in towns on the coast.
According to the Secretary of State, the 2012 law for urban rehabilitation simplified procedures and "brutally shortened" deadlines for decision-making by changing the framework for opinions, making them more lenient. This represents a "huge leap" in solving the problems.
"If there is a Detailed Plan in an Urban Renewal Area, and if the investor presents a project, unless there is a reasoned opposition, he can start," said Amaro, noting that in these cases is also envisaged that there will be an exemption from municipal property tax (IMI) for a period of years.
Victor Mendes argued that the authorities "have made a significant financial commitment" in reclassify the historical centres and most councils have no "financial wherewithal" to make a contribution in terms of tax benefits, in particular in waiving the collection of IMI.
"There must be a set of financial mechanisms, either from the Government or through EU funds, so that private investors can invest in historic centres and get a return on that investment," concluded Mendes.
In addition to the workshops held in the Lagos Cultural Centre, the programme also includes field trips including a visit to the riverfront of Lagos and the Museum of Portimão.