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Hope for Ria Formosa islanders as Armona Brits dodge demolition deadline

Hope for Ria Formosa islanders as Armona Brits dodge demolition deadlineToday, April 6, was meant to have been the day time ran out for the ‘dream home’ of Britons Paul Roseby and James Tod (click here).

The theatrical duo are however fighting their corner tooth and nail - and the deadline has passed with the house still standing.

Tomorrow is the date set by APA (Portugal’s environmental agency) to compulsorily seize the house, with a view to carrying out enforced demolition.

This deadline too looks likely to pass, thanks to Roseby and Tod’s latest legal challenges.

But in the meantime, something (else) quite wonderful seems to be happening for neighbouring islanders of Farol and Hangares.

Though ‘living under the shadow’ of demolitions purportedly due “any day now”, they were called to a meeting earlier this week to be told the government’s POC (coastal programme), taking in areas from Vilamoura to Vila Real de Santo António is being drawn up - and, according to a report in Correio da Manhã, it “opens a window of hope”.

The meeting presided over by Olhão mayor António Pina, in the company of Socialist MP Luís Graça, is understood to have informed islanders that “it will be possible to ensure the legality of human presence on the islands” - meaning the continued existence of householders.

Costa and Pina guaranteed that islanders’ rights and interests “would be taken into account”, says CM.

And the process of the POC will “include collaboration” with islanders who only last month were beginning to lose hope (click here).

APA now has 15 months to draw up the POC, says the paper - stressing the next bit of good news: Aside from allowing for the legalisation of homes on the barrier islands, in historic villages like Farol and Hangares, “the document opens the possibility that owners of properties that have already been ‘seized’ by Sociedade Polis - the organisation responsible for barrier island demolitions - could try and suspend this through the courts until the new document has been concluded”.

It’s a long shot - there will doubtless be storms ahead - but islanders are buoyant. “Slowly, we may get a long way”, is the gist of Facebook posts as collective breaths are held in deafening silence.

By natasha.donn@algarveresident.com

Article by kind permission of Portugal Resident

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Comments  

+2 #7 J 2017-04-10 07:07
All this demolition talk misses the fact that should the much anticipated earthquake arrive these low lying areas will likely be devastated by a tsunami.

The Portuguese government need to stop building over river beds,AlbufeIran and ban building in tsunami zones.Failure will lilely lead to cataclysmic loss of life at some point in the future.
0 #6 J 2017-04-10 06:59
Quoting Margaridaana:
Such an ugly house, so out of keeping with the island and should never have received building permission. No matter how famous you are ( who are they anyway, anyone ever heard of them?) this is an abomination. All looks a bit queer to me! No place for this in Portugal.


The last sentence from the above poster is blatantly homophobic
+1 #5 nogin the nog 2017-04-09 21:47
hmm.
One mans drink is another mans poison. So there is no law against taiste. The facts here are the house was legally built and the powers at be have there eye on this and many more legally built properties. WHY,!! For some new development...
+1 #4 Sarah Black 2017-04-09 17:06
I think their house looks amazing. Sounds like a little jealousy from other contributors.
-2 #3 MiguelJavali 2017-04-09 15:01
Modern buildings just do not belong on Armona, nor do they lend anything positive to the island. Should never have been allowed, an absolute eyesore. Unfortunately, so much of the Algarve started off like this and due to ever increasing ugly development is now no longer an attractive destination. If this house is allowed, no doubt others will follow and Armona will lose all appeal for the discerning tourist.
+3 #2 Lazlo 2017-04-09 06:03
A little harsh, don't you think, Marge? It's is most definitely not the worst architectural bunion I have seen. You seem to be saying that they shouldn't have used modern building methods or design to build what they were led to believe was a legal construction in a stunning location, with the idea of using aforementioned building to generate business for the local economy. How very dare they, indeed.
-2 #1 Margaridaana 2017-04-08 13:49
Such an ugly house, so out of keeping with the island and should never have received building permission. No matter how famous you are ( who are they anyway, anyone ever heard of them?) this is an abomination. All looks a bit queer to me! No place for this in Portugal.

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