ALMARGEM believes that the government's support of Cidade Lacustre, Vilamoura, has in effect authorised the destruction of farmland, “one of the biggest and best areas of agricultural land in the Algarve" and is lodging a complaint at the European Commission.
The Secretaries of State for Tourism, Forestry and Rural Development are fully aware of the plans to destroy the farmland but were happy that the ‘countervailing measures’ were sufficient recompense for this irreversable destruction.
For ALMARGEM, the Defense Association for Cultural and Environmental Heritage in the Algarve, the government's attitude is deeply flawed and does not take into account what is at stake, which is "simply the destruction of what little is left of one of the largest farms in the region, on land classified as 'Class A' farmland."
The area is due to be "excavated and flooded to make way for a series of lakes connected to the existing Vilamoura marina and surrounded by a resort with 3,000 new beds," say the environmentalists.
They are right, as the proposed Cidade Lacustre resort will be situated between Vilamoura Marina and Açoteias in the municipality of Albufeira and is to occupy part of the land on the left bank of the Quarteira river.
ALMARGEM says the government, acknowledges the high agricultural value of the land in question yet at the same time is allowing it to be destroyed.
The government’s argument is pretty weak with reasons including ‘there were no alternative locations for the project,’ and referring to ‘the current fall in the value of the agricultural land as it is not being used’ and the priceless ‘the destruction of the land can bring benefits in the form of compensatory measures.’
ALMARGEM’s complaint to the European Commission is in the belief that "this institution is more sensitive to the protection of natural values in the Algarve” than the Portuguese government which still seems bedazzled with big ticket foreign investment for tourism projects that were of dubious viability even before the 2008 crash.
Perhaps the real fools in this circus are the men with the cash, more than likely an American Vulture Fund, which is willing to risk €1 billion upwards of shareholders' money.
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For background, see: http://www.algarvedailynews.com/news/2090-vilamoura-development-360-hecatre-resort-given-the-go-ahead
