The Environmental Review Commission has said “yes” to the IKEA project at Caliços-Esteval, Loulé.
The committee reviewed the Environmental Impact Assessment report for the commercial complex planned by IKEA and ruled favorably, with a few minor constraints.
The evaluation committee met on June 13, 2014 to consider the report on the public consultation process and other relevant opinions related to the process.
The committee, which is responsible for commenting on the technical aspects of the Environmental Impact Assessment, is chaired by the CCDR Algarve and includes a representative from the Portuguese Environmental Agency, the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forestry, the Regional Directorate of Culture, and Faro and Loulé Councils.
Of the fourteen representatives called upon to decide on this controversial project, none voted against, and there were no abstentions.
The project covers 242 hectares, with 81 hectares reserved for a green space and an environment protection area.
In addition to the commercial space for an IKEA store there will be a traditional shopping area with 195 shops, a specialised shopping centre with 125 stores, an outdoor parking area for 1,819 vehicles and underground parking for 847 cars.
Injunction progress
A letter dated February 17th, 2014 from the Association of Entrepreneurs of Quarteira and Vilamoura, notified IKEA of a class action whereby the association would “proceed with all legal means to defend its legitimate interests and also will request financial compensation from the developers for both the associations and for us as individual people."
The Association of Entrepreneurs of Quarteira and Vilamoura were then joined by the Association of Young Algarve Entrepreneurs, the Association of Trade and Services of the Algarve Region, the Association of Hotels and Resorts in the Algarve, and some individuals, all of whom do not want the store to be built.
The Administrative and Fiscal Court in Loulé later dismissed the injunction that aimed to halt the IKEA development near Loulé.
The plaintiffs decided to go to the Court of Appeal on environmental grounds.
The anti-IKEA group claims that the decision made at the Loulé Court is "unconstitutional" and emphasised that the choice of location of the project is on land where water seeps down to underground aquifers that feed the Ria Formosa forming the main subterranean ecological corridor from the hills to the coast.
IKEA claims that "the project to be developed by Ikea Portugal - Móveis e Decoração and Inter Ikea Center Portugal will enable the creation of 3,000 direct and indirect jobs in a total investment of €200 million."
The Environmental Impact Assessment 'Yes' vote by the Environmental Review Commission is but one step forward, but it is a large one.
