By ELOISE WALTON [email protected]
Construction on Quinta da Ombria, a tourist development project of national interest (PIN) in Loulé council, is due to start in 2010 at an estimated total of cost of 200 million euros.
The golf project, designed by Jorge Santana da Silva, was presented at the Fundação Manuel Viegas Guerreiro in Querença on November 22, near to where it will be constructed.
Among the dignitaries present at the launch on Sunday were Loulé Mayor Serúca Emídio and Querença parish council president Manuel Viegas Santos, who gave the project their full support.
The entire project, owned by Finnish group Pontos, will include a five-star hotel, 18-hole golf course, three tourist developments, 31 plots for individual homes and a spa.
It is estimated that the development will create 300 jobs.
Ville Tallbacka and Helder Martins, a former president of the regional tourism board, will be leading the team involved in the development of Quinta da Ombria.
Prior to the approval of Quinta da Ombria, environmental and conservation groups protested and made a complaint to the European Commission in an attempt to halt the project, which underwent alterations before final approval.
“Everyone who visits Quinta da Ombria can be safe in the knowledge that there is total respect for nature and local traditions,” said Miguel Castelão, who is responsible for the environmental management of the project.
An environmental plan has also been developed for the construction of Quinta da Ombria, which is estimated to take eight years before it is complete.
For more information about Quinta da Ombria, please visit the website, available in Portuguese only, at www.quintadaombria.pt
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