It was on the agenda of the last Municipal Assembly of Faro, but the discussion about redelimiting the new ARU – Alto Rhodes Urban Rehabilitation Area ended up not taking place. Rogério Bacalhau removed from the table a proposal that had been his own executive to present and was accused by the PS/Faro preventing debate on the subject.
According to Farense socialists, the mayor of Faro he withdrew the proposal from the discussion "not wanting or not knowing how to respond to the requests for clarification made by the members of the Socialist Party bench who would have to vote on it" and "did not even allow the intervention of the permanent Councilor of the respective portfolio".
If, on the one hand, this decision is seen by the opposition as a "rise of conscience" by Rogério Bacalhau, for having realized "that he cannot submit a proposal in such a short time", attention is drawn to the fact that he is at risk the validity of the Alto Rhodes ARU «for expiry, already in October».
"Because we defend the validity of the ARU of Alto Rhodes, we urge the mayor to re-present and submit its re-delimitation to the Municipal Assembly next November, but with due and deserved full technical clarifications in short supply", added the socialists.
For the avoidance of doubt, the PS lists the issues it wants to be clarified. From the outset, the number of buildings that are in poor condition in two of the intervention areas of the ARU in Alto Rhodes, taking into account that the proposal says that the overwhelming majority of properties "are in excellent/good condition".
The Socialists also want the Chamber to clarify whether "in these intervention units there are already pending feasibility requests for construction that are not indicated in the report" and "which criteria are used in this redefinition that chooses to leave out contiguous streets, in the area of Upper Rhodes, which are in a clear state of degradation'.
To these three questions, already asked during the last Municipal Assembly, the PS/Faro "now adds: But who wants to benefit this time after all?".
"Now, what is intended to be understood is the justification for a total area that will cover very different realities and needs, applying important benefits and that will therefore distort the conditions of investment, of the final price in the market and thus enhance unfair competition", summarizes the PS.
Faro it has six ARU in force, but, accused the PS, "it has not been able to increase the number of dwellings, nor to enhance uses for rent, let alone curb the final prices that are prohibitive and based on the equal benefits received for its exploitation, including properties that were not “in bad or bad conditions”, which seem to be, in this case, the minority”.
"Finally, urban rehabilitation areas are already a very appreciable stain of the total territory of the city and if clear criteria are not consolidated to apply to heritage in a state of effective need, it would be better, absurdly, to declare the entire city as an area of Rehabilitation, avoiding privileging some promoters, included here, from others who cannot have the same benefits and thus distorting prices and competition», concluded the socialists.
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