New shopping centre for the Algarve - this time in Alcantarilha

06 April 2018

The Algarve soon is to be blessed with yet another shopping centre, this time in Alcantarilha where the Conjunto Comercial Quintas do Rogel is to be built on the A22 motorway access roundabout on the EN125.

The planned layout is for six blocks of shops organised around a central square. The gross leasable area is 1.68 hectares with enough space for 36 shops and another supermarket.

The project, from the company Alroge, includes 522 outdoor parking spaces and 113 under cover. Access will be made via a new 200 metre road connected to the current Alcantarilha roundabout. The project's promoter plans to create around 500 direct jobs.

The project later may benefit from the a link between the Alcantarilha roundabout and Armação de Pêra, a plan that is sitting in the in-tray at Infraestruturas de Portugal.

In addition to the shopping centre, a new filling station will be built at the southern part of the new commercial complex.

The company says the construction phase of the new retail complex will take about a year.

The project is currently under evaluation for its environmental impact with a public consultation period ending on May 11th.

Unsurprisingly, the Association of Commerce and Services of the Algarve Region (ACRAL) is totally against the creation of another shopping centre in the Algarve and is only now coming to terms with IKEA’s Mar Shopping Algarve near Loulé.

The association says the creation of yet more commercial space, is "an economic error."

The president of ACRAL commented that "another shopping centre does not add value or anything else to the existing tourist offer - it is, in fact, counterproductive."

Álvaro Viegas says the impact of these out-of-town shopping centres adds to, "desertification, urban degradation, loss of social and cultural dynamics and the devaluation of the city itself as a centre of tourism attraction and investment."

Viegas says the Algarve needs to fix up its town centres and increase promotional activity, because "this is how we show our heritage, our culture and our way of living - the experience that the tourist really expects and wants to experience.”

From the economic point of view, says Viegas, this investment decision also is not prudent, since it "ignores market conditions". In his opinion, "the business model of shopping centres is exhausted - it is a mature and saturated market, there is no room for more."

The consultation documnts are at the CCDR-Algarve site: http://participa.pt/consulta.jsp?loadP=2206

Comments

0 #7 Denby 2018-04-08 18:38

Anabela
Lisbon will always need an abundance of tourist accommodation for now and in the future as Lisbon is a hub for innovation and technology. And it will always be inviting to the tourist that is looking for something different, they will never be disappointed by Lisbon.

0 #6 Anabela 2018-04-08 10:12

It seems to me that there is a concerted effort to destroy all the character and identidy of the Algarve as well as in other parts of Portugal (like Lisbon were local residents are being pushed out of their long time rental homes in the traditional Bairros to give way to more hostels and hotels).... When the tourists stop coming because there isn't anything interesting to see.... maybe, just maybe these politians and banks will realise.... It's all money orientated and the public should pull together and start thinking if that is the future they want... The banks and politians will move on with their pockets ' bem recheados ' and a smile in their face :-(

+2 #5 TT 2018-04-07 10:28

I think one of the problems here stems from this new sense of security that has been generated with the repeated government bail-outs of the banks.
In a real-world scenario this proposal flies in the face of common sense. But it seems the banks are able to lend with impunity. If the developers fail to repay, the bank knows the good old taxpayer is there to pick up the tab. Again.

+5 #4 Mr John 2018-04-06 21:14

If its a mirror image of Mar Shopping madness forget it, the food court is filthy, endless cues to be served, people paying with small coins, not worth it, yes the shops are there (most with no customers) but the centers need many more staff members to work the counters serving customers, there will be a major problem filling positions in the Algarve starting this summer because there are not enough people to fill the required numbers, many unemployed people in the Algarve are in retirement age or not able to be trained to use a register or computer, others just don't want to work, the majority of season (summer) workers who would make the trip south will this year find it very hard to get local accommodation for the time they are here, many people i know who rented out rooms to workers are no longer renting creating a big problem, the government and the hotel group clamped down on summer rentals that unfortunately involved summer rentals for workers, also the monthly rent for a room or flat is close to their monthly wages, so why do it, thank the government, nobody wins.

+5 #3 Jack Reacher 2018-04-06 21:03

Does the Algarve have a vision or even an identity? The future is supermarket and shopping tours in a motorhome. Its time to offer tourists some quality attractions.

+1 #2 Ed 2018-04-06 20:35

Quoting Derek Barry: