“The public consultation on the Regulation of Management of Maritime Beaches on the Caminha-Espinho coastline counted with 82 participations,” the Ministry of Environment said in response to Lusa.

According to the entity, the “observations/suggestions received are being analysed by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA), who will divulge in due time the results of the consultation,” which will be compiled in a report and shared on the PARTICIPA platform.

The Regulation of Management of Maritime Beaches on the Caminha-Espinho Coastline was in public consultation from May 22nd to July 4th, having, according to the latest information available, received 64 participations through the PARTICIPA platform. This number, the entity cleared up, doesn’t include participations send by email.

The document in contention had already been subject to a public participation period alongside the Caminha-Espinho Coastline Programme (POC-CE), however, some inconsistencies were found between the beach management guidelines and the foreseen management regulation, for which a new consultation was launched on May 22nd.

The corrected version of the document excludes concessions or licenses in the 46 Critical Areas identified in the POC-CE and only covers removable structures on the sand.

In Article 12, the regulation determines that, regarding the execution of beach supports and equipment, the usage of “flexible constructive systems that allow easy set-up and take-down” or their composition of groupable modules when their location allows access to a heavy vehicle.

In the planting of removable structures, wooden foundations and pavements are admissible over the sand or staked, not implying the building of foundation shoes or a basement in general. The regulations are the same as those set for light buildings.

The POC-CE, which came into effect in August of 2021 and identifies 46 critical areas, determines the planned withdrawal of dozens of homes, as well as the demolition of various buildings, houses and restaurants located on the coast between Caminha and Espinho.