The reason for the illegal land clearance work at Praia dos Tomates, between Vilamoura marina and Praia da Falésia, has been revealed.
In May this year, readers reported their horror as earth moving machinery started to clear land by the beach, fearing environmental laws were being trampled over as the area is protected. (HERE)
The work was commissioned by a real estate company which has owned the 7.6 hectare area since 2006 and sought to evict the beach bar concession, Quebra Côco, which has been there for 30 years.
Funditur (Fundo Especial de Investimento Imobiliário Fechado), part of Libertas Grupo Imobiliário from Lisbon, issued an eviction order for the end of the summer season, 2017 and has been trying to get the site cleared ever since, blocked by a court order that suspends any such action.
Quebra Côco overlooks Praia da Rocha Baixinha Poente, to give Praia dos Tomates its correct name. The wider area is known as Várzea de Quarteira and is one of the few remaining green areas between Vilamoura and Albufeira.
Funditur correctly accuses the concessionaire of not having vacated the space, a situation confirmed by the Portuguese Environment Agency which points out that there is no licence to use the beach area for shade and sunbed rental. Quebra Côco’s owner said that there are still legal proceedings underway so he is not moving out.
The Environment Agency, said it is "making every effort to restore legality" and that the concession should go by October 15th, 2018.
The Mayor of Albufeira said that the May 2018 site clearance work was not authorised and hence was stopped.
Funditur, a property development company owned by another property development company, says it does not plan to develop the property and is moaning that it is losing money because it has not been able to 'take over the management of the area.'
Few believe that a Lisbon based property company, faced with the opportunity of developing 7.6 hectares of beachside land linked to a larger area where it already has applied for planning permission, will be content with running a beach concession - even though the income will show some return on its investment.
The mayor confirmed that the land in question is National Agricultural Reserve and National Ecological Reserve, with no possibility at all of construction, except in an "exceptional case," - criteria for which he did not divulge.
The Lisbon property company has wider ambitions and submitted a proposal to build a 1,000-bed resort in Várzea de Quarteira in August last year, claiming that, as there no longer was any agriculture going on, a hotel would be a good idea.
This application was rejected but as soon as the company has managed to eject Quebra Côco, expect further development.
The rejected 1,000-bed tourist resort soon could have its own beach area and pressure will be put on the Council to facilitate the building of another hotel and tourist apartments.
