The Espírito Santo family playground, the Comporta estate, has long been considered outside the normal property laws to which normal citizens must adhere to.
Espírito Santo clan members wanting to build or refurbish properties on this idyllic stretch of coast and farmland seem simply to have ‘made arrangements’ with the complicit local council and carried on regardless.
Disgraced banker and former clan chief, Ricardo Salgado, has a delightful summer home near Pego beach on the Comporta estate. Many have marvelled at the effortless way in which Salgado received planning permission contrary to the rules of the Sado-Sines Coastal Land Management Plan which prevents any construction within 500 metres of the high tide mark.
Salgado’s luxury property also flouts the Natura 2000 Network laws, as well as the rules governing National Ecological Reserve land which prohibits property construction or expansion in ecologically sensitive sites such as the sand dunes surrounding Salgado’s idyllic retreat, but if the 'Dono Disto Tudo' want a house, he gets a house.
The Public Prosecutor has spotted that Salgado’s property has been "improperly licensed" by Grândola council and says the council clearly should never have given permission for the construction work, leaving the public wondering, but no too hard, what induced the council to break such clearly stated planning laws.
The Public Prosecution Service formally has accused Grândola council of making huge exceptions to a raft of established laws and has instructed that the property be torn down and that a fine be paid by the municipality.
It’s not just 'Tricky Dickie' Salgado’s summer home that it under threat as it forms but part of a dispersed ten building area with properies owned by companies controlled by Espírito Santo clan members.
All these properties were illegally licensed between 2008 and 2011 and must be removed, depending on final confirmation from the Administrative and Fiscal Tribunal in Beja which will be hard pressed to find any compelling reason to allow the properties to remain.
See also: 'Espírito Santo clan fights to keep control of Comporta Estate - whatever it takes'
and 'Insider deal aims to secure Comporta estate for 'clan' members'