“We now have 12 more urban perimeters, two new rural clusters, and 90 areas of dispersed building. It’s an important step to attract private investment and create jobs,” emphasized João Leite.
In comments to the press, the mayor described the new Municipal Master Plan (PDM) as “strategic,” highlighting the expansion of areas designated for economic and industrial activities, as well as “dispersed building” areas.
“It was a lengthy process, but it was strategic. Since I began my role as president, I determined that we had to complete the PDM once and for all (…) With this revision, we will create new clusters, not only in terms of the opportunities to establish housing but also new areas to attract private investment from new industries,” he stated.
Revealing that the municipality has already attracted 414 million euros in private investment, an amount he considers “historic,” João Leite expressed hope that this figure will increase with the implementation of the new plan.
The mayor also admitted there might be another revision as early as 2026.
Coordinating the project, the planner commented that the previous plan, dating back to 1995, “no longer reflected the territory’s reality” and exhibited “inconsistencies in light of the demographic and economic evolution of the municipality.”
The new version now allows for the delimitation of “rural clusters, areas of dispersed building, and urban perimeters,” which, according to architect Catarina Santos Pires, “standardizes the territory and creates conditions to attract investment in areas such as logistics, commerce, and services.”
“The trend of this new PDM is to create new investment opportunities and provide housing conditions. Our PDM was also aligned with the existing population because the population was growing, and those clusters were not delimited,” she stated.
According to a technical report from the municipality on the new PDM, seven strategic pillars for the development of the municipality have been outlined, including leveraging Santarém’s geographical position, investing in agricultural training and innovation, promoting tourism, and consolidating the municipality as a regional logistics hub.
“Santarém will invest in its resources, culture, and urbanization to assert itself as a competitive, attractive, and innovative municipality and to enhance its role as a national agricultural and tourist hub,” the report states.
The document also notes that the process to revise the PDM began on August 5, 2002, but was delayed by several factors, including “various legislative changes and updates to higher-level territorial plans with a direct impact on municipal planning.”
The report further details that during the public discussion phase in 2023, 462 submissions were received, of which 37.7% were accepted in whole or in part.
The plan has already been approved by the municipal assembly.
