The environmental impact assessment procedure of the Cidade Lacustre, in Vilamoura, has just announced the Algarve's Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR). The suspension will last a maximum of six months and the aim is for the project to be changed, due to negative impacts on the environment.
On the basis of the decision, supported by the opinion of the Commission for the Assessment of the Environmental Impact Study (EIA), «there are important gaps in the justification and negative impacts identified in different environmental factors such as the archaeological cultural heritage, the landscape, the biodiversity, territory, socio-economics, geotechnics or climate change”, explains the CCDR.
According to this entity, the project, which was the subject of a study promoted by the Municipality of Loulé, does not demonstrate its "adequacy" in the face of issues such as the rise in the average sea level or phenomena such as floods.
The area where this mega project is to be built, covering 57,4 hectares, is even singled out «as one of the most vulnerable on the coast of the municipality of Loulé, given the predictable rise in the average sea level and the probability of exposure to future coastal flooding'.
For this decision, the positions of groups of citizens and organizations linked to the environment were taken into account. In total, during the public consultation, 95 participations were received. The Almargem Association and the citizens' movement “For the Ribeira de Quarteira against Cidade Lacustre” led the fight.
According to the CCDR, in the future there may be “a new public consultation and a new assessment by the Environmental Impact Study Assessment Committee”, before the Environmental Impact Statement is issued.
Cidade Lacustre is an old project and one that deserved harsh criticism from environmentalists who called it an “attack”.
The idea of the promoters – the company Vilamoura Lusotor – is to build a mega venture, covering 57,4 hectares, with residences, tourist beds, restaurants and up to four lake areas that will connect the various areas of the resort.
All of this in an environmentally sensitive area, as shown in this study that supports the decision of CCDR Algarve.
The planned investment is 640 million euros.
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