The Secretary of State for Regional Planning and Nature Conservation, Célia Ramos, has looked at the proposal for the 380 hectare estate to be used for tourism with two hotels, eight tourist villages and a golf course and said “we will follow the project with caution.”
The territory is covered by the Natura 2000 network, admitted Célia Ramos at a hearing of the Environment Committee called by the Left Bloc, but said the development still was at an early stage.
The Left Bloc are concerned that the major development put forward by United Investments Portugal already has Project of National Importance (PIN) status and therefore that many of the normal planning laws can be circumvented.
Algarve MP João Vasconcelos earlier said that the project had received a PIN classification, but argued that it should not have been awarded this category as it “violates national and Community legislation.”
The mega-tourist development plan is right on top of the important Querença-Silves aquifer, and "violates fundamental areas set aside for the conservation of biodiversity and which are subject to European environmental restrictions,” according to Vasconcelos who was instrumental in getting the Vale de Freixo development discussed in this committee.
Vasconcelos says that as the development lies in part of the Natura 2000 area, it should be protected, “the development is located in a protected area and will have a direct effect on several protected habitats, which raises serious concerns."
Stating that the Vale de Freixo development project is "very close" to other projects which "took 20 years to be licensed because of objections by environmental associations," the Algarve MP said he was apprehensive at the possibility of having a development that "replicates the development model we have on the coast which has led to the bankruptcy of many companies."
Célia Ramos said to the committee that the Vale de Freixo project is at a very early stage and that there is no definite project, just an intention, which she knows is nonsense.
"We will be interested to know in greater depth about some of its features," said Ramos, adding that the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forestry has raised some questions about the number of beds that and that "to clarify this and other questions, we have asked the proposer for several clarifications.”
The Secretary of State said that there was no need yet for an Environmental Impact Assessment because the “we are at the planning stage,” (the use of the word “we” being questionable in this context).
When asked about a possible scaling down of the project, Célia Ramos said only that "the Government is working to streamline investment processes and to create jobs for everyone, big and small" which failed to answer the question.
Asked whether the PIN system was to remain now that there is a Socialist government, Ramos said that there was no intention to call a halt to the system, despite it being one that on the promise of often fictitious jobs, developers have managed to get tourism projects through that would never have been built had they been subject to the country’s raft of planning laws.
It is early days yet but Célia Ramos is giving every intention of behaving just like the former Secretary of State for Regional Planning and Nature Conservation - both seem pro-demolition in the Ria Formosa islands and pro-development in natural areas that should be protected.
We watch her progress with increasing concern.
