The new regulation establishes containment areas in parishes with greater urban pressure, based on the number of dwellings available for permanent housing or long-term lease and the establishments available for Local Accommodation (AL).

Using the same ratio, the regulation also determines the creation of "AL sustainable growth areas".

Areas with a pressure ratio equal to or greater than 15% are considered "containment areas", while areas with a pressure ratio of less than 15% are considered "sustainable growth areas".

Areas explained

The regulation therefore determines as containment areas the parishes of Vitória (where the ratio is 60.5%), São Nicolau (48.3%), Sé (44.1%), Santo Ildefonso (38.3 %) and Miragaia (21.8%).

In the historic centre of Porto, only the parish of Cedofeita is considered a "sustainable growth area" in the regulation. In this parish, the ratio between the number of AL and permanent dwellings or long-term leases is 9.8%.

The "areas of sustainable growth" also include the parishes of Aldoar (0.3%), Bonfim (8.1%), Campanhã (1%), Foz do Douro (2.6%), Lordelo do Ouro (1. 1%), Massarelos (7.1%), Paranhos (1%), Nevogilde (1%) and Ramalde (0.6%).

The installation of new AL in containment areas may, however, be authorised "exceptionally" if they involve urban operations related to new buildings or buildings subject to conservation works that the municipality "considers of special interest for the city".

The regulation also determines, as an exception, urban planning operations that "promote street commerce", through the allocation of independent units that occupy at least 60% of the ground floor of the buildings, "with 20% of the remaining area used for housing accessible by a period of not less than 25 years".

Among the exceptions, the regulation also highlights requests that aim to occupy all or part of buildings that have been completely vacant for more than three years.

The creation of the new regulation began on November 2, 2022 and justified the suspension of new AL registrations in the parishes of the historic center and Bonfim, which was in force until April 27, the day on which its approval was deliberated by the Porto Municipal Assembly.