Ikea has full permission to build its mega-development near Loulé in a move that will delight many shoppers and throw into disarray the various legal moves by local trading and environmental groups.
Unused farmland near Loulé was chosen by the Swedish group to open its fourth store in Portugal and the scheduled opening for the Ikea store is set for 2016.
Now that the company has its building permits, including vital access rights across an area controlled by Faro council, the plans for the €200 million investment can go ahead creating, according to the company spokesman, 3,000 jobs.
"Following its expansion plan for Portugal, the Ikea Group received reports that this week the business license is in place for the project in Loulé, which includes the construction of an Ikea store, shopping outlets and retail centre," the company said today.
The company expects to open the Loulé store in 2016, and the remaining complex, composed of the commercial and retail center, in 2017.
The project was announced in 2009 and, in December 2010 the company signed a "cooperation agreement" with Loulé council.
Five long years later the company received its licence to build the access route which is in Faro council’s area and now has a full set of paperwork with which it legally can start digging.
Ayamonte in Spain had offered land for free to attract the retailer but the company is certain that the Loulé site is the right one to add to its stores in Alfragide, Matosinhos and Loures.
