Property: Urban planning news in Portugal

New rules to simplify urban planning in municipalities have come into force

Government moves forward with pilot project in municipalities to use AI in licensing

Public Prosecutor says Hilton hotel developer annexed public street land in Cascais to maintain seven floors. And the council accepted it

Porto City Council reverses decision to exchange affordable housing for compensation

Pedro Duarte stated that the possibility of the municipality paying compensation for backtracking on this issue is “off the table,” as the developers had not yet been notified of the previous decision.

Message on World Cities Day - United Nations - UN Portugal

Official message regarding the global observance of World Cities Day, as published by the United Nations Portugal office.

Unric31 Oct

Construction work: stalemate between Lello, Mesquita, and the City Council

The contract ends this Saturday, but the Hazrat Hamza mosque does not plan to vacate the space. The City Council says it is unaware of Lello's request to postpone the works.

Is the housing crisis also a city crisis?

Inhabiting a city is more than just having a house. It implies having access to employment, services, and quality public spaces, establishing close relationships, and participating in decisions about the city's future.

There are no silver bullets – the permanent anxiety for an instant housing formula

The housing disease has become a serious urban pathology. It cannot be cured with massages and whispered words. It requires a cocktail of medicines and, if necessary, harsher intervention. Opinion piece by Pedro Campos Costa

Porto City Council to discuss revision of seven inclusive zoning projects on Tuesday

Socialist councillor Manuel Pizarro classified the resolution approved last week as “politically wrong, incoherent, and morally reprehensible.”

Building abandoned for 20 years in Louriçal may be demolished

Initially envisioned as a hotel and restaurant, then converted into social housing, the Green Look—which was never legalised—may have its days numbered.

Pinto Luz denies conflict of interest in the approval of the new Legal Regime for Urbanization and Building

The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing did not hide his indignation at the lightness with which very serious accusations are made and a person's good name is called into question.

“False accusation”. Pinto Luz denies conflict of interest in new urban rehabilitation regime

The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, rejected this Monday accusations of a conflict of interest related to the approval of changes to urban planning legislation, considering them to be “false”, “deeply offensive” and an attack on his integrity. In a hearing at the Assembly of the Republic, the minister guaranteed that he did not use the Government nor...

Architects request urgent meeting on housing

The OA sent a letter to the Ministry of Infrastructure requesting the convening of the Government's advisory body “as soon as possible,” proposing a National Housing System.

Don't worry, the Government will solve it!

Partnership with Decathlon guarantees access to next-generation tents.

How many properties does it take to make a selfish person?

The Constitution does not demonize private construction. It asks that it be “subordinated to the general interest.” And the general interest is not building wherever it is most profitable or where the deal is most advantageous. Opinion piece by Daniela Bulário

The future of Odemira is decided today

The Odemira Municipal Master Plan, currently in public consultation, proposes measures that could have very serious consequences for the development of economic activity.

Housing: ensuring Lisbon remains a city to live in

Reflecting on his first year as Lisbon's Housing Councillor, the author discusses the complex challenges of the city's housing crisis. He argues that housing is a fundamental structural policy for urban life, necessary for retaining essential workers, youth, and diverse social groups. The article highlights municipal efforts to increase housing stock, support private market tenants, and rehabilitate city-owned properties under the administration of Mayor Carlos Moedas, while emphasizing the need for a shared responsibility between public, private, and cooperative sectors to ensure Lisbon remains an accessible and inclusive city.

PSD and Chega protect Miguel Pinto Luz in conflict of interest case

Parties blocked a hearing for the minister regarding conflicts of interest in the approval of a law that shortened deadlines to challenge municipal decisions. Pinto Luz had stated he would be “very pleased” to provide clarifications.

Idle houses, everything within the law

In 2023, Lisbon had 1,158 completely vacant properties and 1,696 partially vacant properties held by private owners. A substantial part of the built city remains idle.

There is no turning back – the importance of the new land law

The new land law, reclassifying rural land as urban land, could become a structural reform of strategic interest in Portugal.

Where are you, Porto?

Over the years, I have heard many stories about the city of my birth: Porto. I remember the many times I heard of kind, hospitable, and empathetic people. Of a Ribeira filled with people with a humble, community-oriented spirit. Of a city that woke up and went to sleep proud to be from Porto. Nowadays, no one knows the whereabouts of this city; perhaps it has even been wiped off the map. Walking through its streets, one can only observe the loss of identity of a city that was once 'the undefeated'. Hotels on one side, short-term rentals on the other, locals almost non-existent as they have involuntarily had to leave their homes to make way for franchises. Where is the Porto I heard so much about? Perhaps lost somewhere in the mist that rises over the river in the morning and dissipates by noon, leaving only a memory for those who once knew it.

Opposition councillors in Cascais point to conflicts of interest in Pinto Luz's legislative amendment

At issue is an alleged conflict of interest involving Minister Miguel Pinto Luz for shortening urban planning challenge deadlines in a new law, which may benefit decisions he made while serving as the municipality's vice-president.

Opposition councillors in Cascais point to conflicts of interest in Pinto Luz's legislative amendment

Opposition councillors in the Cascais municipal executive are not surprised by suspicions of conflicts of interest involving Minister Miguel Pinto Luz regarding changes to urban planning legislation, though the minister has denied the bill was tailored to his interests. According to Socialist councillor João Ruivo, the amendment to the legal regimes of Urbanisation and Building (RJUE)...

Mayor says injunction to stop Porto construction will allow for full clarification

Pedro Duarte further assured that he has not changed his opinion on the project and reiterated that it would never have been licensed in its current form during his term.

From bureaucracy to speed: how Coimbra is simplifying urban planning to attract investment

Administrative modernisation and the simplification of urban planning have become strategic urgencies for Portuguese municipalities. Following changes introduced by the new Legal Regime for Urbanisation and Building (RJUE), Coimbra has implemented a transversal operation to streamline licensing and offer digital tools, such as tax and parking simulators, to provide investors with greater predictability, transparency, and efficiency.

Gaia Craft Market: traders fear unemployment

“They are pushing us into unemployment”. Local artisans and traders must leave the market by December to make way for luxury hotels. A petition has already gathered more than 500 signatures.

Haste as a land-use policy

The Government announced this week that it wants a revolution in land-use planning. The word is strong and the problem driving it is real. Changes to municipal master plans could take six years to be decided, a delay that the Minister of Economy compared to that of a third-world country, and the...