The Secretary of State for the Environment has issued a ‘favourable’ verdict on the Environmental Impact Statement for the commercial complex project and IKEA store at Caliços-Esteval near Loulé.
There are some conditions but nothing for the developer to worry about unduly. The Secretary of State calls for a review of “stormwater drainage, intervention in the river system and basin flood flows” and some mitigation measures and light monitoring.
The IKEA developers have yet to file a study on local geckos (Hemadactylus turcicus) that will be disturbed or to ascertain the size of their population before moving them somewhere nicer.
A note from the Commission for Coordination and Regional Development of the Algarve (CCDR-A)said that the technical assessment of the Environmental Impact Assessment was carried out by an evaluation committee made up of representatives of the CCDR Algarve, the Portuguese Environment Agency, the Institute of Nature Conservation and Forestry, the Regional Directorate of Culture, the Mayor of Faro and of Loulé Municipal Councils.
“None of the fourteen bodies called upon to rule on the Environmental Impact Assessment issued an unfavorable opinion," claimed the CCDR-A.
However, there were many negative opinions, especailly those from environmental associations ALMARGEM and Quercus, whose criticisms and recommendations were as good as ignored throughout the process.
