Amovate Member Says Save Salgados
Amovate member Faith Clement has drawn our attention to this ongoing debate. She says she feels it is an important enough issue to highlight here on our website.
From the Algarve Daily News:
Silves Câmara signs deal for another huge resort next to Salgados
The permissions for a massive development next to the Salgados bird sanctuary to the east of Armaçao de Pêra has been signed in Silves. An investment of more than €232 million will boost jobs in the area, and Silves Câmara’s coffers by €35 million over ten years in license income, stamp duty and rates.
“This is a project that allows to the development of this specific area of the county,” said Isabel Soares, president Silves Câmara (CMS), who added that the development “will give greater sustainability to everything that is planned in relation to tourism, based on our Strategic Development Plan of the municipality.”
The project by Finalgarve-Sociedade de Promoção Imobiliaria Turistica S.A. includes three hotels, five holiday villages, shops, roads and an 18 hole golf course.
According to Francisco Menezes Ferreira of holding company Grupo Galilei, representing developer subsiduary Finalgarve, the infrastructure will be built starting in 2013. In 2015, if everything goes as planned, the first tourists can be catered for with the completion of the infrastructure and the building of the first hotel.
One of the main benefits of this development plan, according to those promoting it, is jobs, 1,516 of them that will have a positive impact on the local economy. “These job numbers are of the utmost importance, especially when the Algarve is the region with the highest unemployment rate in the country. Silves feels the need to help out in the labour market, especially for our young people,” Isabel Soares said.
Another significant benefit to Silves Câmara is additional revenue over ten years of an estimated €35 million.
“Putting Silves on the regional and national map (and even international) by increasing the attractiveness of our territory, and by asserting our identity and introducing innovation and knowledge as tools for everyday work,” said Soares, stating that Silves “has a glorious legacy, which is important to preserve and promote. Silves also has excellent natural resources, among which is the beautiful Praia Grande…the signing of this agreement is to make sure that this (tourism) strategy comes to fruition.”
The first phase will cover 247 hectares, and the final project will have covered 359 hectares. The first of the two five-star hotels is planned to be completed in mid 2017, the second in late 2018 and the four-star hotel is scheduled for completion in mid 2023.
The Finalgarve website describes the project thus “Localizado em Silves, no sul do País, este futuro resort de luxo desenvolve-se ao longo de 3 Km de praias privadas. Desenvolvido numa área de cerca de 247 ha de vegetação única no país, realçando toda a beleza, o conforto e a serenidade do local, este empreendimento, de qualidade superior, prevê 3 Unidades hoteleiras de 5 estrelas, 5 Aldeamentos turísticos, com acesso directo à praia e um campo de golf de 18 buracos.”
Comment by Objectors to the scheme:
How the destruction, partial ot total, of a well known wildlife zone and the impact on the adjacent bird sanctuary at Salgados, a name that was missing from today’s announcement from Silves Câmara, can preserve Silves’ glorious natural legacy remains to be seen.
The development does not include the lagoon area vital to birdlife, but the impact of many years of planned construction will certainly impact on the settled nature of this habitat.
Pressure groups have had more than four years in which to oppose developemnt of this area of open countryside yet have not achieved a ban. Whatever designation has been given to the area may have been bulldozed by the new plans but it is hoped that a wildlife development project has been incorporated, similar to the successful one put into place by the water company subsequent to building the Odelouca reservoir.
The developer’s spokesman stated that “there is nothing equal to this piece of land in southern Portugal or southern Spain.”
So again we see that big business gets its way, the Câmara has additonal income to prop up its accounts , and only now do we sit up and realise that another part of Portugal’s wildlife areas is to be developed into more of the same.
However the Grupo Galilei chariman’s statement that he may have to lay off 1,500 staff is the company has to pay the €250,000 fine imposed in the wake of the BNP scandal, means the project based on the promise of new jobs may never get started.
Soares’ statement in Portuguese
“Afirmar Silves no panorama regional e nacional (e até internacional) passa por aumentar a atratividade do nosso território, afirmando a nossa identidade e introduzindo a inovação e o conhecimento como ferramentas quotidianas de trabalho.”
“Silves possui um legado histórico glorioso, que é importante preservar e dar a conhecer, e que é, em si mesmo, mais um fator diferenciador e promotor do progresso, como tenho vindo a afirmar. Possui, igualmente, excelentes recursos naturais, entre os quais a belíssima Praia Grande, localizada na Freguesia de Pêra, fatores que nos permitem ambicionar mais e melhor no que toca à oferta turística relacionada com o sol e o mar e a assinatura deste contrato é a certeza de que essa estratégia chegará a bom porto», concluiu a autarca.”
There is an online petition you can sign to protest at the plans if you feel something needs to be done. At the last count 8,603 people had signed it.
As the petition introduction says:
Why this is important
Right now the Portuguese Government has just given the go-ahead for the majority of the area, 359 hectares, (887 acres), to be “developed”. By developed they mean “to be concreted over” and thus lost to the wildlife that finds it vital now and also lost for the enjoyment of future generations. Any development near this important area will have a hugely detrimental impact on the wildlife that uses it.
It will never come back; it’ll be gone for ever.
When will Man realize that he is not the only animal on the planet?
The Algarve does not need more hotels, golf courses or holiday accommodation – all of which stand now at 55% occupancy. What it DOES need is an appreciation of its unique habitats and the wildlife that depends upon them.
Please help us get the signatures that we need for this matter to be raised in Parliament.
We need you – you’re our only hope!
As Chief Seattle said, “Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we cannot eat money”.
Click on the link below and sign the petition