fbpx
Log in

Login to your account

Username *
Password *
Remember Me

Create an account

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
Name *
Username *
Password *
Verify password *
Email *
Verify email *
Captcha *

Culatra Island home-owners to be granted 30-year residence licences

CulatraDocapescaAnother step forward has been taken in the long-running battle for islanders’ rights, with parliament unanimously approving a deal for those living in the settlement of Culatra, who soon will be able to apply for a licence to stay put.

Islanders in this tight-knit community will soon slumber in peace, untroubled by further threats of having their houses knocked down and will be able to carry on with their way of life that, although seen by Lisbon as unconventional, is as Portuguese as it gets.

Amendments to existing laws alllow Culatra residents to apply for licences so they legally can occupy their own homes.

The essential piece of paper will allow each householder 30 years of untroubled residence and when this period is up, if the inhabitant is still linked to traditional fishing or island activities and if the island home is their only property, another 30-year term will be granted.

The islanders actually want these residency rules in place so as to stop property speculation. The rules will help preserve their identity that until recently was under threat from the Ministry of the Environment which had instructed the Polis Litoral Ria Formosa Society to remove many of those properties using an ever-shifting lexicon of poorly thought out reasons.

The resulting widespread demolition plan caused a local and national outcry with the new socialist government slow to spot the idiocy of a continuing battle that, in both public relations and moral terms, it was losing.

For those second-home owners whose work is not related to things piscatorial or local, the already approved Culatra development plan does not propose to demolish further properties, concentrating as it does on improving the island infrastructure and public areas.

The persistence of around 1,000 Culatra islanders is paying off. They always had the moral high ground as many had materials transport licences from when their properties were constructed, had been paying rates to Faro council and had been paying utility bills all of which showed they legally were settled and had property rights.

The handling of the demolition process could not have been worse, with the head of Polis, Sebastião Teixeira, rightly cast as the villain of the piece due to his messianic determination to see the Ria Formosa islands rid of inconvenient people and houses, to be replaced with sand and, as the rumour mill suggested, posh tourist developments - although this has never been substantiated.  

Teixeira lost his job over his poor management of the island problem and his lack of respect for his ministerial boss, João Matos Fernandes, who cottoned on pretty quickly that the vote-losing strategy he had inherited was likely to turn into an even longer battle than had been anticipated.

The relaxation of the strict zoning and property rules, plus a dollop of humanity, have combined to afford the Culatra islanders some peace of mind.

They will, however, remain vigilant as politicians change and, as they have just proved, laws can be amended.  

Pin It

Comments  

+1 #12 Emma B 2017-10-26 07:35
Climate change could see the island of Culatra being washed over by the sea. Who will foot the bill to rehouse these property owners, since the Government give planning permission to build in the first place.
-1 #11 Richard 2 2017-10-23 11:23
Just another win for corruption. Unlike Denby, I hope a good wave comes and washes them all away.
+1 #10 Ed 2017-10-22 16:23
Quoting Peter Booker:
Quoting Ed:
[quote name="Peter Booker"][quote name="Ed"][quote name="Peter Booker"].


And so, until the day before he was sacked, Teixeira was enforcing government policy? Is that right?

Yes, it was an unenviable position that he pursued with steely determination well after these demolitions were meant to have been completed.
By leaving this programme until the last moment, he then argued, successfully, that there was still work to do, when in fact he should have been engaged in winding up Polis at the end of its ten years of inaction.The deal struck with the demolition contractor then was in jeopardy.

This may have increased Teixeira's determination to see the demolitions through. I have long suspected the finaces of Polis do not add up, hence the threat I recently received for 'asking too many questions.'
+1 #9 Peter Booker 2017-10-22 13:18
Quoting Ed:
Quoting Peter Booker:
Quoting Ed:
Quoting Peter Booker:
You point out in this piece, Ed, that the real villain in the plot was the Minister of the Environment, and that Seb Teixeira was merely doing as he was told; that was under the Peter Rabbit administration.

When António Costa and Matos Fernandes came on to the scene, what actually changed?
what changed was the Minister and his increasing concern that his government was being seen as an oppressor - a vote losing path and a PR disaster in the making. The islanders' campaign was well run, emotive and justifiable.


And so Teixeira was sacked for following instructions?
No. Teixeira was sacked for upstaging his boss. The day after the Minister announced a moratorium on the demolitions, Teixeira authorised the posting of a swathe of eviction notices.

This act of gross misconduct by Teixeira was viewed as a deliberate attempt to trip up the minister - the only option left to Fernandes was for Teixeira to go.


And so, until the day before he was sacked, Teixeira was enforcing government policy? Is that right?
0 #8 Ed 2017-10-21 15:39
Quoting Peter Booker:
Quoting Ed:
Quoting Peter Booker:
You point out in this piece, Ed, that the real villain in the plot was the Minister of the Environment, and that Seb Teixeira was merely doing as he was told; that was under the Peter Rabbit administration.

When António Costa and Matos Fernandes came on to the scene, what actually changed?
what changed was the Minister and his increasing concern that his government was being seen as an oppressor - a vote losing path and a PR disaster in the making. The islanders' campaign was well run, emotive and justifiable.


And so Teixeira was sacked for following instructions?
No. Teixeira was sacked for upstaging his boss. The day after the Minister announced a moratorium on the demolitions, Teixeira authorised the posting of a swathe of eviction notices.

This act of gross misconduct by Teixeira was viewed as a deliberate attempt to trip up the minister - the only option left to Fernandes was for Teixeira to go.
-1 #7 Peter Booker 2017-10-21 15:30
Quoting Ed:
Quoting Peter Booker:
You point out in this piece, Ed, that the real villain in the plot was the Minister of the Environment, and that Seb Teixeira was merely doing as he was told; that was under the Peter Rabbit administration.

When António Costa and Matos Fernandes came on to the scene, what actually changed?
what changed was the Minister and his increasing concern that his government was being seen as an oppressor - a vote losing path and a PR disaster in the making. The islanders' campaign was well run, emotive and justifiable.


And so Teixeira was sacked for following instructions?
+2 #6 Denby 2017-10-21 14:03
Well hopefully the water level does not rise due to climate change in the next 30 years.
+3 #5 Ed 2017-10-21 09:59
Quoting Peter Booker:
You point out in this piece, Ed, that the real villain in the plot was the Minister of the Environment, and that Seb Teixeira was merely doing as he was told; that was under the Peter Rabbit administration.

When António Costa and Matos Fernandes came on to the scene, what actually changed?
what changed was the Minister and his increasing concern that his government was being seen as an oppressor - a vote losing path and a PR disaster in the making. The islanders' campaign was well run, emotive and justifiable.
-1 #4 Peter Booker 2017-10-21 09:46
You point out in this piece, Ed, that the real villain in the plot was the Minister of the Environment, and that Seb Teixeira was merely doing as he was told; that was under the Peter Rabbit administration.

When António Costa and Matos Fernandes came on to the scene, what actually changed?
+7 #3 Maximillian 2017-10-20 21:50
Quoting TedR:
Quoting Maximillian:
That's finally good news for the home owners but why 30 years only? Is it legal to grant a residence licence for a restricted period of time?

I know they are delighted with the 30 years! This gives them a long period of certainty.

It will not be so good for them if - at any time in the future - they will void these because it was not legal!

You must be a registered user to make comments.
Please register here to post your comments.