Lisbon plans 204 new homes in Casal do Pinto

Lisbon City Council approved this Friday the municipal-initiated subdivision operation for the Casal do Pinto land, in the parish of Beato, which is expected to create 204 new homes, shops and “a large green area of ​​2.6 hectares”.

In a private meeting, the proposal signed by the Urban Planning Councillor, Joana Almeida (independent elected by the “Novos Tempos” PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança coalition), was approved with the abstention of Livre and Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected by the PS/Livre coalition) and votes in favour of the others, namely the PSD/CDS-PP leadership (which governs without an absolute majority), PS, PCP and BE, according to information from the local authority.

The subdivision approved for the Casal do Pinto land, located between Calçada da Picheleira, Rua Frederico Perry Vidal, Rua Carlos Botelho and Rua Capitão Roby, “includes 204 new houses, shops and a large green area of ​​2.6 hectares”, which includes a sports field, a children's playground and urban gardens, the council revealed in a statement.

To implement the project, 37 lots for housing and commerce and two lots for collective use facilities are planned , “with buildings that will have a maximum of four floors above ground and two below ground,” he added.

Welcoming the proposal approved this Friday, which will allow the regeneration of Casal do Pinto, a “long-awaited” project, the mayor, Carlos Moedas (PSD), stated that this was a priority assumed since the first moment of the 2021-2025 mandate and that it has been implemented in the territory.

“Lisbon is made for everyone and we cannot tolerate the continued existence of a forgotten city”, highlighted the PSD mayor, quoted in a statement.

Also cited in the note, the Urban Planning Councillor added that the approval of the Casal do Pinto municipal subdivision represents “a milestone in the rehabilitation of the Vale de Chelas”, one of the strategic areas of intervention of the executive led by PSD/CDS-PP.

“Another step has been taken towards fulfilling our commitment to create a greener, more accessible and welcoming city for everyone,” he highlighted.

With the Housing portfolio, Lisbon plans to build 204 new homes in Casal do Pinto, indicating that, with this project, the council is “significantly contributing to responding to Lisbon’s housing needs and strengthening the city’s social cohesion”.

At the meeting, also under proposal from the Urban Planning Councillor, approved with the abstention of Livre and Cidadãos Por Lisboa, the council delimited the Urban Rehabilitation Area of ​​Vale de Santo António and determined the opening of a period of public discussion of the corresponding Systematic Urban Rehabilitation Operation project, lasting 20 working days.

The proposal comes after the Lisbon Municipal Assembly (AML) approved, on January 21, the amendment to the Urbanization Plan for the Santo António Valley, in an area of ​​48 hectares , where the construction of 2,400 affordable rental homes is expected.

“It was an objective from the beginning of the mandate. We have 48 hectares, 94% of which is owned by the municipality. How is it that we still have this space in the city center undeveloped?”, asked the Councilor for Urbanism, at AML, referring to Vale de Santo António, in the parishes of Penha de França, Beato and São Vicente.

Regarding the proposal approved this Friday, the BE council, the party that voted against the change to the Santo António Valley Urbanization Plan, justified the vote in favor of the initiative to delimit the Urban Rehabilitation Area with the fact that 94% of the land is public.

The BE assured, however, that it will continue to fight for “ a 100% public affordable rent program in that location ”, which allows the construction of houses that people can afford and that it will vote against all private development that could benefit from tax benefits in this area.

Currently, the executive of the Lisbon City Council, which is made up of 17 members, includes seven elected from the “Novos Tempos” coalition (PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança) — who are the only ones with assigned portfolios and who govern without an absolute majority —, three from the PS, three from Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected by the PS/Livre coalition), two from the PCP, one from Livre and one from BE.