Are things getting better or Not ??

[widge]

in a lot of cases this is forced building; once you are given planning permission there is a time window in which you have to build, once the time is up the permission is rescinded so they have to get on with it whether sold or not.

This seems to support your view sunman.

"Planning Permission in Portugal
Is a fairly straight forward process that can go horribly wrong if you don't do your homework, if you want to apply for planning permission on a plot of land you must first check that it is in a zone that allows for construction, the rules on this vary widely from council to council. If it looks like it is possible the next step would be to get viability to construct from the relevant council, this will tell you exactly what you can do so that your plans can be correct first time. This can massively reduce your waiting time, once this has been granted you have 1 year to enter your project, you can have anything from 60 days to 6 months to wait if everything is done correctly.
The project is done in stages the first of these stages is submitting the plans to the chief engineer in the Town Hall they would normally be accompanied with a topographical report. When the engineer decides that this is all as it should be the second phase begins outlining where waste and fowl water will be disposed of and electricity and gas supplies.
When this is finished there is the building licence to purchase, the time allowed for construction will be on the license you may reapply if you exceed this time limit however it is unwise to allow it to expire. If a certain amount of time expires they may not grant an extension especially if building regulation have changed in the mean time"

[EMM]

As we know from our own experience this does not really apply to the urban plots within Carvoeiro that are the sites of much of this development. It may apply to large commercial developments or those in land where the designation may change.

[sunman]

there are loads of urban plots around where this has happened; for example; take the Benagil road opposite Rocha Brava entrance, turn left into Vale do Milho, just up on the left hand side is a patch of land where someone has been trying to sell lots to people for development; their hand got forced by the ticking clock & they built a small sales office to try to unload one or two; that didn't happen so they had to put a spade in the ground & start building, the result of which is a slightly unattractive villa in the bottom left hand corner which they've neglected since it was built & now the poor place has a pool with green algae in it, it's overgrown, & has tumbleweed blowing all round it, a sorry sight.

and on the top entrance to VdM they've been trying to sell 4 plots for ages; they've built one villa on the front which when I last saw it is uninhabited but there's a little more excitement on the corner opposite the entrance to VdM restaurant which looks more substantial & just has the look that someone might be having it built to order, I'm hopeful.

further round the corner from VdM restaurant is a development built on an old small vineyard; the Portuguese builder used to come into mine for coffee, a nice guy; I think there are 32 properties, talk is that they've sold 1 but there's no evidence of that. They were forced into a slow build by an impatient camera, they went as slow as they could but still couldn't sell any; he offered me 2 at just above cost simply to generate some much needed cash. The development is owned by a Spanish construction company so one suspects a Spanish bank is shouldering the burden somewhere.

[EMM]

What we have seen and others report are one offs built to order , major refurbishments or small select developments.
Those old ones Sunmans describes may well struggle for some time yet.
Many of us know Villas Mourim, for sale as single unit and we were told of one new upmarket operation in Carvoeiro which is in the hands of the banks and will remain so for some time.
Any new property or any new development has to be viewed positively.

[widge]

As we know from our own experience this does not really apply to the urban plots within Carvoeiro that are the sites of much of this development. It may apply to large commercial developments or those in land where the designation may change.

I don't think you are correct. The time limit applies and is enforced by the Camara. You don't lose planning permission but as sunman says you have to adhere to the terms of the construction licence.

[EMM]

We had our villa built and the process took 4 years from start to finish, No issues with the Camara.
Perhaps Licy can comment on theirs.
Certainly and fortunately not in Carvoeiro elsewhwere there was a rash of builds started to designs which now would never get through.
When we first started looking we spent time in Balaia which is a golf/tennis development near Albufeira.
Within 12 months a new high rise apeared next door much to the annoyance and dismay of ownners.
The development had it been a new appication would never have been permitted as its size and height infringed a change in the planning law but as construction started within the deadline they could not stop it.
Lagoa council is known for the strictness of its planning rules unlike some others, just look at Silves and the proposed Pera Golf and hotel development which could effectively destroy the Salgados wetlands.

[widge]

but as construction started within the deadline they could not stop it..

..........and no doubt had the completion deadline been exceeded they would have had to apply for an extension.

[djprescott]

and on the top entrance to VdM they've been trying to sell 4 plots for ages; they've built one villa on the front which when I last saw it is uninhabited but there's a little more excitement on the corner opposite the entrance to VdM restaurant which looks more substantial & just has the look that someone might be having it built to order, I'm hopeful.

It isn't uninhabited Sunman, I have seen a couple cars parked there with Jersey reg plates. The other villa you are referring to does appear to be being built to customer specification.

[sunman]

and on the top entrance to VdM they've been trying to sell 4 plots for ages; they've built one villa on the front which when I last saw it is uninhabited but there's a little more excitement on the corner opposite the entrance to VdM restaurant which looks more substantial & just has the look that someone might be having it built to order, I'm hopeful.

It isn't uninhabited Sunman, I have seen a couple cars parked there with Jersey reg plates. The other villa you are referring to does appear to be being built to customer specification.

excellent news