The heritage defense association VIAN'ACORDA accused the Municipal Council of Viana do Castelo of proceeding with the construction project for the new Municipal Market, violating multiple legal provisions. The Administrative and Tax Court of Braga accepted the precautionary request filed by the association to halt the works.
Rui Martins, representative of the association, pointed out that the project does not respect the constraints of the Historical Center Detail Plan, that the construction of a basement violates the Water Law due to its location in a flood zone, and that the project is moving forward without a prior assessment of acoustic impact on the surrounding residential area, violating the Noise Law. The representative also stated that several state entities, including CCDR-N, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Environment, have maintained silence or complicity regarding these irregularities.
In response, the Municipal Council guaranteed that it has always complied with the law. President Luís Nobre announced that the municipality will activate all administrative, judicial, and compensatory mechanisms against the association Vian'Acorda, should the delays in the work result in additional costs for the municipality, arguing that collective interest overrides private interest.
The works had been stopped since January due to archaeological findings. The Council reported that it is preparing a project to enhance these findings, with the proposal to integrate them into a future Archaeology Hub in the business area of Praia Norte and other spaces in the city, subject to approval from the relevant authorities.
