Associação Miradouro da Luz

Lagos City Hall is elaborating a Development Plan specific to Praia da Luz which aims the definition, orientation and limitation of the right of construction on the local lands.

It has been always admitted by the Lagos City Hall that their intention would be to qualify the sightseeing point of Praia da Luz (hill in front of St James Development –the pink apartments) as an area with destination to green spaces, admitting the possibility of construction up to 2 floors for the land situated on the right hand side (north-south direction) of the sightseeing point.

Inclusively it is known that all works on the elaboration of the technical drawings of the plan done and studied over the last years included this zone as designated to green area.

It happens that very recently we knew that there is a possibility that the City Hall yields to pressure of certain interests in the way to alter the sightseeing point qualification in a way to allow the construction of a hotel, which shall have 3 floors, located on the top of the sightseeing point.

It is obvious that the existence of a building with 3 floors (or even less) on top of the sightseeing point is absolutely unacceptable for various reasons essentially of aesthetic nature and of urban disposition in what refers to the level of height between the several existing buildings. Actually, it is enough to imagine the view of Praia da Luz from who comes on the road on the direction Burgau-Lagos, from which a non fit with the neighbouring and high building will only be seen.

The necessity of a hotel in Praia da Luz is not being questioned but it’s not understandable the reason for them to want to install beds in an area that should be for leisure to the community, having clearly other lands that could be used for implantation of tourist buildings. Such as back areas near Monte Lemos and Montinhos da Luz,  where great part of the owners will loose any right to construct in areas where it is not understandable how they can’t be used for a better advantage for a rational and organized construction and in accordance to the population needs, namely the creation of lodgement.

The creation of an hotel unit on the urban centre of Praia da Luz, where it should be a leisure area, goes in opposition to what it should be a good urban planning, since it is not understandable the advantage of having a 3 floor hotel (that really does not actually increase the number of existent lodgements in a relevant way), in an area where the natural beauty of the place should be preserved as a tourist attraction point, being the lodgement units placed in areas where it’s not justified the total prohibition of construction.

So, we came to appeal to all citizens with interest on the good preservation and organization of Praia da Luz, to express their unpleasantness for the new ideas foreseen by the administrative entities, so that later we can formally organise a expressive strength plea group for the protection of our local community interests.