The President of the Porto City Council, Rui Moreira, stated that leasing a portion of the Ramalho Ortigão School’s land to FC Porto for 70 years for the construction and operation of a sports pavilion will not affect the shared housing project. This declaration came in response to a query by BE councillor Sérgio Aires during a council meeting.
The motion, approved with CDU’s abstention, involves using part of the school’s area after the school ceased operations in May 2024, following the relocation of its staff and students to Alexandre Herculano School, a ten-minute distance away. Moreira highlighted the council’s initial aim to implement a ‘cohousing’ model for social housing at the site. However, the presence of the city’s Periodicals Library, temporarily housed there due to renovations at the Municipal Public Library, currently impedes this plan.
Moreira recalled a previous proposal to develop a similar site at Bairro do Cerco, which was abandoned as it required demolishing residential buildings without providing alternative housing. Sérgio Aires emphasized the need for the new pavilion, adjacent to the Campanhã Swimming Pools currently leased to FC Porto, to benefit a variety of associations and clubs, not just the football club. Rui Moreira mentioned the development of the nearby Municipal Stadium of Campanhã, which would serve Clube Desportivo de Portugal and others.
CDU councillor Joana Rodrigues pointed out the increasing birthrate in Porto, questioning whether the school site might be needed again in the future. Moreira assured that the municipality’s current school capacity is sufficient.
The land earmarked for FC Porto’s use measures 8,373 square meters, valued over 3.5 million euros, with an annual surface right value of 131,875.63 euros for 70 years. The proposal submitted by Public Space and Youth and Sports councillors, Pedro Baganha and Catarina Araújo, explains that FC Porto intends to construct a multisport pavilion for training purposes across various levels, including expanding sporting opportunities for residents, particularly women and adaptive sports.
The council approved establishing a four-year Sports Development Program Contract with FC Porto, allocating 525,102.50 euros over this period. The support, divided over 48 months, will reduce the club’s monthly payment to a nominal 50 euros instead of the 10,989.64 euros that would be due otherwise. For the remaining 66 years, the club will pay 10,989.64 euros monthly for land use.
The responsibility for building the pavilion lies with FC Porto, including the demolition of existing structures on the site and constructing access to Dr. Sousa Avides Street, subject to municipal approval as outlined in the proposal.
