With the publication in the official gazette, the plan officially started on September 1st with the council announcing "this was the culmination of a process that existed 13 years ago, when the city of Lagos saw its municipal master plan annulled."
The last plan was suspended due to a 1996 wrangle over some land which led to the plan for the entire municipality being suspended until now.
The new municipal plan was started 12 years ago and the final version was approved at a council assembly in June.
Councillors and staff can now get on with implementing their planning policy in accord with the Algarve’s regional plan (PROTAL) as well as using other plans and territorial impact studies.
Lagos council intends that the municipality’s image will be 'innovative and competitive, socially cohesive and cultural and scientific forward thinking in line with its historical and maritime tradition of relationship with the sea and the headquarters of the Portuguese Discoveries.'
The documents have been through a public comment period, marked by the limited locations and hours available, and can now be inspected online within the www.cm-lagos.com website
The plan was started in February 2002 with the main objective of tying in with the wider Algarve development plan.
The council said it was a long hard journey to get its plan to the public consultation stage, but no reasons have been offered as to why the plan took so long to agree.
Lagos was the only council in Portugal not to have a municipal plan and there now will be no excuse for tardiness, obstruction, reticence or lack of direction from the council.
