After years of battling, environmentalists have won the day at Ria de Alvor. Businessman Aprígio Santos, dubbed an “eco-vandal” for his destruction of a wildlife haven on the Quinta da Rocha estate, has been ordered to make good the damage.
The central administrative court of the south upheld a conviction that the habitat at Quinta da Rocha, alongside the Ria de Alvor, must be “completely restored to its original condition”.
The court went a step further and ordered the “permanent suspension of activities in protected areas”, increasing its original 10-year ruling to one that will apply “forever”.
This time, the company through which Santos had been controlling Quinta da Rocha – Butwell Trading – did not appeal against the decision. Indeed, the president of the Naval 1º de Maio football club has been in the news recently for debts of “around €598 million”.
Thus this latest setback is not one of his greatest problems – but for environmentalists like A Rocha that has withstood years of what it called “environmental terrorism”, this week’s ruling is cause for celebration.
Talking to news services, a spokesperson said the decision was “extremely important and could have a very significant impact on Portuguese environmental law” in the future.
A Rocha has also been busy this week in the latest bid to stop development at Praia Grande.
