Algarve trade associations have beefed up their opposition to the new IKEA development between Loulé and Faro, kicked into action by the sounds of the Swedish company already clearing the land.
The trading associations have highlighted irregularities in the planning process, risks to the environment and damage to the regional economy in a notice sent to anyone who wuill listen.
The Association of Trade and Services of the Algarve Region (ACRAL) is leading challenges to the IKEA shopping complex and has sent complaints to 80 public bodies, including the President of the Republic of Portugal, warning of the risks if this project goes ahead, citing damage to the environment and to 'regional economic stability.'
The project includes an IKEA store, a traditional shopping area with 195 shops, a specialised shopping mall with 125 stores, outdoor parking for 1,819 vehicles and underground parking for 847 more.
‘What the IKEA group plans for the Algarve is a commercial project without parallel in the country and without parallel in the region,’ according to the ACRAL statement which adds that there is an ongoing judicial process to determine the legality of the plan which was approved in 2013 by Loulé council that had allowed the use of the green field site for building.
If the court finds that the granting of the land for development was an illegal act the IKEA development may well have to stop.
The Swedes must either be sure of winning in court or have been given the nod that even if they lose, the project can go ahead under some other overarching law, no doubt on payment of a fine.
Various of the Algarve's business organisations have been against the project from the start but the local council saw money and jobs and with almost obsequious haste did everything it could to facilitate the development's approval.
In 2009, the Commission for Coordination and Regional Development of the Algarve considered that the building project was not compatible with the national or local planning programmes and said that such a huge development if built, should lie within existing urban development areas, not on the site selected.
The environmental impact study was keen to hazard guesses dressed up as facts as to the number of direct and indirect jobs that would be created, figures that always seem wildly to overestimate cold reality, but failed to take into account the number of businesses and jobs that would be lost as a result of IKEA’s presence in the Algarve.
The environmental impact assessment was approved with a 'favourable opinion' in July 2014 despite objections to water resources and noise levels.
The Swedish company has pressed ahead with site clearance anyway with the work starting on January 13th.
If the development has later to stop, which is a possibility, the green space already will have been altered by the current groundworks programme and may have to be reinstated.
Comments
The solution to the problem , 20 year jail terms for corruption , confiscation of wealth and assets , increasing state fines from Brussels YOY instead of grants from the EU until they comply.
As we have seen historically and recently , even big business and Banking in Portugal are corrupt , and aided by its Parliament.And when they fail its the Working Portuguese that end up paying , through the already abhorrent high taxation increasing and with troika austerity.
There is reasoning behind the IKEA attacks , and they are attacks , in that 4 families run the majority of shopping in Portugal.These same families that in are in richest top 10 , they have a vested interest in not allowing competition. And have rallied support of those that are usually their competition to their cause through the media , that is until they eventually crush them too.
Nice weekend, boys and girls :)
It is from a UK resident wanting to set up an Alojamento Local licence for her property. NOT TOURISM - just renting a property or room in it. Recently opened up to foreigners (?)
The question mark comes from following the discussion. The Portuguese Government information team kick off as always firmly - "You've got it all wrong" - but then swiftly get bogged down in a variety of ways.
Confusingly telling us that Camara's all STILL interpret things differently ! Some want the application on-line. Some just need a simple statement. Some will inspect straight away, some later. Some want various certificates - energy, water, gas, electricity; others not. Telling the tax people after getting the licence - or whilst waiting for it ?
And - anti EU - only a native can get the digital signature,no foreigners allowed !
http://www.expatfocus.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=40787/
(Portugal) needs new investment, it creates wealth, employment, and helps the tourist industry but -
In any reasoned discussion we foreigners must point at Portugal's total absence of integrating 'competition' into its economy. Which entirely defeats the point of Portugal remaining in the European Union. Its purpose is to grow members economies.
What part of the word Union do the Portuguese struggle with most ?
So no competition is allowed unless under controlled conditions such as a Portuguese landowner if a bar or a business partner. Some sectors like tourism entirely closed to foreigners.
So holding back the EU by continuing to run just for 'friends and family'... which excludes newcomers. And just continues the Dark Ages that valeri refers to.
IKEA are just a more prominent competitor and - as a well developed EU country - seeing no reason to get into bed with anyone. In any country they set up in.
Perhaps the locals are upset that they have bunged to get IKEA stopped ... and its not worked !
Hopefully we can all now see the similarity to the Spanish Costa's harassment of thousands of Brits buying their houses legitimately with 'full' local council permission - then having them bulldozed. Because the regional government was playing games.
Both examples of banana republics that should never have been let into the European Union !!!