On April 3, the Almada City Council, located in the district of Setúbal, declared a “state of alert” under the Civil Protection Law to prohibit pedestrian movement from the vicinity of the Cacilhas ferry terminal to the restaurants at Olho-de-boi along the Cais do Ginjal.
The “state of alert” was set to last until May 1, 2025, and was not renewed.
The Almada Council informed the owners of the buildings and the Lisbon Port Authority (APL) about necessary repairs and presented a concrete proposal to the Government to find a solution for rehabilitating the area.
Residents living in the derelict buildings had to relocate and were temporarily housed at the designed Population Concentration and Support Zone (ZCAP) at Anselmo de Andrade Secondary School, which was decommissioned on April 15. These individuals are currently in other temporary accommodations.
At that time, the Almada Council stated they would continue providing meals and support to these individuals in their efforts to gain independence for the duration of the “state of alert,” which concludes at 11:59 PM today.
At Ginjal, some buildings will need to be demolished. According to the AFA Group, owners of the premises, these demolitions are based on a technical evaluation following inspections conducted by the Municipal Civil Protection Service.
“These interventions are preventive in nature and will only proceed when all safety conditions are met for the professionals involved,” the AFA Group explained, without specifying a starting date for the work.
The AFA Group added that the planned demolitions are unrelated to the commencement of rehabilitation works at Ginjal and emphasized that their project for the area is public and complies with all legal and regulatory requirements, including municipal approvals.
“At the moment, the intervention is solely concerned with safety issues,” they maintained.
In November 2020, the Almada City Council unanimously approved the Detailed Plan for Cais do Ginjal, aiming for comprehensive intervention and rehabilitation of the area in collaboration with the AFA Group.
The AFA Group has planned a 300-million-euro investment for the zone, which spans approximately 90,000 square meters and includes the construction of a residential complex with about 300 homes, several commercial and service units, a hotel with 160 rooms, social facilities, and 500 parking spaces.
