The initiative, originally overseen by the Sociedade Polis Litoral Ria Formosa, will enable families wishing to vacate homes in the Maritime Public Domain zone to relocate under a municipality-supported rental scheme.
During a ceremony attended by the Prime Minister, the municipality president, Rogério Bacalhau, praised the families’ courage and responsibility for choosing to move to these homes.
“This step, difficult and full of memories, is also a step into the future,” noted the mayor, emphasizing that the relocation of the fishermen does not erase history but rather adds new chapters.
The 49 apartments, located in the Montenegro parish, are intended for habitation under the supported rental scheme, comprising 22 one-bedroom, 15 two-bedroom, and 12 three-bedroom units.
The project, fully funded by the Recovery and Resilience Program (PRR), was awarded in 2023 for an initial amount of 5.3 million euros, but ultimately reached approximately 6.4 million euros upon completion.
In January, the government announced a one million euro investment for the renaturalization of the Ancão peninsula, including the demolition of 49 constructions in the eastern and western areas of Faro beach.
Among the 49 buildings, 41 are for families to be rehoused by the Faro municipality, and eight are vacant structures.
Currently, there are 87 buildings at both ends of Faro beach, with plans to leave 38 homes and their respective families after removing the 49 structures.
Of the 49 constructions marked for demolition, 37 are in the western area and 12 in the eastern area, although no operation date has been set.
Demolitions in the Ria Formosa under the Coastal Border Plan (POOC) Vilamoura–Vila Real de Santo António began in 2014 with the removal of illegal constructions on islets.
In 2015, the first demolitions took place at Faro beach, with subsequent operations at the Farol and Hangares areas on Culatra Island starting from 2017, amidst public protests.
By 2018, the cycle of demolitions on the barrier islands of Ria Formosa was concluded.
