Hi to all!
Considering we received some emails from clients asking about the issue regarding to the new Lisbon Airport being built in Alcochete instead of Ota, we consider it is a good moment to pass this info to all our clients and potential clients.
Background:
- The project for the Lisbon airport location was taken 20/30 years ago! And at that time the Government bought most of the properties in that area and blocked all construction possibilities in a huge area around the OTA region;
In the past 15 years the country spent millions of euros in studies of all kinds to proof it would be the best location.
Since the last government (5 years ago) was elected they gave many conferences, seminars and press conferences saying that the decision was taken and that all options were studied and that OTA would be the best!
They gave clear instructions to all council to take structural decisions considering that the airport would be built there… councils like: Alcobaça, Alenquer, Arruda dos Vinhos, Bombarral, Cadaval, Caldas da Rainha, Lourinhã, Nazaré, Óbidos, Peniche, Rio Maior, Sobral de Monte Agraço e Torres Vedras, Santarém, Azambuja & Alenquer have taken many decisions in the last years counting with the Ota airport.
All residents with land in the Ota area were forbidden for all this time to build house in their on lands for the Airport sake… and nothing!
The government them selves made all expanding works on the A8 (to Lisbon) e A1 (Porto/Lisbon), new motorway A15 (Rio Maior), IP6 (A8 – Peniche – in the future will be connected with a motorway coming from Madrid);
The decision:
The Government made the PERLIMINARY decision to move to Alcochete after a Lobby of Investors bringing to discussion a Military training area located at Alcochete (30 kms south of Lisbon) that was basically de-activated for some years…
Please note that this was taken to decision only 6 months ago and that it simply passed over the 15 years of studies turning the millions invested to a waist of time and money…
The decision says that the area is more spacious to future expand projects, as OTA would only last for 30 years and that this one has space for more than 50 years!
The new location in facts:
- The new airport will be located 30 kms south of Lisbon, in a town called Alcochete;
- Near to the Freeport Outlet Center - www.freeport.pt
- How to get there: coming from the A8, just catch the A2-Algarve, cross bridge Vasco da Gama and then follow signs to Alcochete;
- 2 and 1/2 hours from the Algarve;
- Extra 15 minutes journey comparing to Portela Airport (actual);
- Starting construction in 2010 and being finished in 2017!;
Click on the Link to see the area: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=pt-PT&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=campo+de+tiro+de+alcochete&sll=38.748728,-8.927422&sspn=0.059174,0.1157&ie=UTF8&ll=38.799049,-8.899612&spn=0.23653,0.462799&z=11&iwloc=addr&om=0
The effects of the decision:
The Association of the Council located in West Portugal Councils made a huge pressure for the Government to understand that the “simple” decision of changing the Airport from one place to the other would put down all people expectation regarding to the boom of the local economy…. the government recognizes that it was a huge mistake to be keeping ideas to all the councils around OTA that the project was going ahead... so the government is going to compensate with millions of new public investments!
Doubts:
There’s still a general doubt that if the actual airport will be totally de-activated, and that eventually it would be a good possibility to leave operating with low cost flights;
The Lisbon mayor doesn’t want the de-activation of the city’s airport… as per the negative effect in the city’s tourism (short break tourists);
New Public Investments Coming:
- A brand new hospital to be built in Caldas - with a staff of 2.000 people;
- A new motor way from the A8 to the A2 - putting the difference of 15 minutes travel to the new airport to something close to 5 minutes;
- A new motor way from the A8 to the Lourinha area (IC11) - shorting the travel from Lisbon around 10 minutes Lisbon/Lourinha;
- Easier approval to all new big projects including Golf Resorts;
- Confirmation of TGV trains to pass thru the West train line (from Lisbon to Leiria) serving the Alcochete Airport and giving access to Madrid-Spain;
http://www.regiaodeleiria.pt/index.php?lop=conteudo&op=9cfdf10e8fc047a44b08ed031e1f0ed1&id=d1e834301845e56e8b88e17a0107157b&drops[drop_edicao]=436
New Private Investments Coming:
- Rainha Golf & Spa – Foz do Arelho & S. Martinho Spa & Golf Resort: Waiting for classification as National Interest Project (PIN) that will give all licenses for the works to start;
- Confirmed 3 billion euros investments in Resort projects;
- New golf courses operating in 2009:
o Bom Sucesso Resort – Acordo Group;
o Royal Óbidos – Oceanico Group;
o Falésia del rey – Beltico Group;
o Perola da Lagoa – London Investments;
o Golden Eagle (second golf course) – Camin Global Group;
- More than 10 new 4 and 5 stars hotel starting to be built in the Silver Coast;
All this to say that… we believe:
- The extra travel is irrelevant and will not be a central issue (although off-course it would be best if the airport was only 35 minutes from here instead of 55 minutes);
- The effects on the tourism industry will also be irrelevant considering that the local resorts are looking for a higher market and that the offer that is being created is for quality resorts mainly composed by investors with high economical capacity;
- The region will have more services, facilities and amenities to offer and off-course less pollution!!!
We hope that all this information clarifies any doubt about this issue, in case you need any further info or details please go ahead and email us at: topcasas@netvisao.pt
Created by Richard Gomes, from TOPcasas.
All details were taken from national newspapers & government sources. Only complimentary details are personnal opinions!
