More than 1,700 people have already signed a petition calling for the protection of Madeira’s urban model, rejecting an increase in high-rise development and urging a wide-ranging public debate on the issue.
The petition, seen today by the Lusa news agency, has attracted 1,732 signatures, following recent comments by the President of the Regional Government, Miguel Albuquerque, who defended revising Funchal’s Municipal Master Plan (PDM) to allow the construction of residential buildings of up to 20 storeys as a way of addressing the shortage of available land.
The petition calls on political parties represented in the Madeiran parliament to table a draft resolution recommending that the Regional Government (PSD/CDS-PP) does not approve “legislative, regulatory or territorial planning changes that allow, as a general rule, the construction of buildings of more than ten storeys in the region.”
It also urges that planning policies be directed towards “a balanced model of urban growth, compatible with the scale of Madeiran towns and cities, while preserving the landscape and ensuring that existing infrastructure can cope”.
The petitioners argue that the regional government should prioritise public policies that promote urban renewal, the regeneration of established neighbourhoods, the reuse of vacant buildings and simpler administrative procedures for small-scale housing extensions, helping to meet the needs of local families.
They maintain that defining Madeira’s future urban model is “a generational decision” whose consequences will be felt for decades, and therefore deserves a broad public debate.
According to the petition, that debate should involve universities, professional bodies, local authorities, civic organisations and experts in urban planning, architecture, environmental protection and spatial planning.
The petitioners also argue that simply increasing building capacity is no guarantee of more affordable housing. They contend that high-rise developments require more complex infrastructure and place greater pressure on public services, including transport networks, parking, water supply, sanitation and civil protection, with much of the associated cost ultimately falling on the wider community.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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