Loulé council has granted a reduction in various fees to the owner of a building located in the old town which is in acute need of renovation.
The building, located in the Special Protection Zone, sits against one of the turrets of the old city wall and is to be turned into a space dedicated to vocational training and will also house a shared workspace.
The council executive justified the decision as it feels the need to support initiatives that contribute to "the promotion of heritage and above all for the revitalisation of the very fabric of the historic centre of Loulé."
The owner of the building, which currently is vacant and in poor condition, will benefit from a 60% reduction in fees for the issuance of a building permit (or, worryingly, a demolition permit) and the various permits needed under the Municipal Regulation of Urbanization and Construction rules.
Once work is completed, the building is expected to be equipped with an area dedicated to training, a study centre and a co-working area. There also is space for a coffee shop.
Faro council has gone further and by offering various tax advantages and fee discounts to owners of over 200 unoccupied and derelict buildings that pockmark its historic centre in an effort to encourage their renovation.
