The new square

[Bristle Si]

The point is that you are CVOphiles and will support the place. You can look beyond the mess and disruption and see what you will be getting on your next trip. First timers will possibly think twice, not because they are whinging Brits but because they associate the place with a less than brilliant holiday and there are plenty of other places to go. That's the shame of it.

Exactly. I said on here a few weeks ago that the unfinished works would put 1st timers off. Me and my wife have loved CVO ever since we first visited 8 years ago, but it's hard to understand why this work hadn't been scheduled to finish by now, if not end April. And please let's not use the old chestnut of "that's just the way the portuguese are". People are looking for good value money this year, especially with the current economic crisis and poor pound/euro exchange rate. Still can't wait til we visit in September though!

[Helen]

In The Portugal News this week there is an interview with the Mayor of Lagoa. He says that he is confident that the work will be finished by the end of June. He then goes on to say that soon after work will begin on an underground car park at the site of the local sports centre. The centre will be demolished & a new improved venue will be built once the car park has been completed.

Other developments around the area are one or two supermarkets to be built in the vicinity of Fatacil, a new municipal pool in Ferragudo, yet another golf course in Lagoa, (seriously, how many golf courses are needed in the Algarve) and the very bad news that two luxury five star hotels have been approved for Benagil and Caramujeira. An additional 600 beds have also been approved for Lagoa, but the location has yet to be decided, and permission has been granted for the building of a 100 bed unit in Estombar. There, you're up to date now!!

[laserblazer]

Please make it a 50m pool

[ceh]

Although off topic v v v bad news re 5 star hotel at Caramujeira - had known there was a risk of a golf course. The Luis Figo investment/development near Albandeira is enough of a blot on the landscape .

[Bruce Wallis]

That is really bad news about a new hotel at Benagil.....that is a lovely bit of coast with some lovely bays that will be the worst for this creeping coastal development......and NO....I am not a NIMBY....I dont live there!

[bruce]

Our first 6 holidays in Portugal were in Caramujeira and then VdM - so sad that the area looks to be developed further.
We just loved the area and Benagil in particular - goodness knows what will happen when the big boys move in.

[Lesley Jean]

That is really bad news about a new hotel at Benagil.....that is a lovely bit of coast with some lovely bays that will be the worst for this creeping coastal development......and NO....I am not a NIMBY....I don't live there!

I live close enough not to want the development, it would only make this part of the coastline like everywhere els, over developed, surely they must see that some small areas where the development is only minimal would be an attraction. Why do they think that everywhere needs a golf course or hotels, to make it popular, aghhh...

[EMM]

These are the views of a politician seeking re election and he is hardly likely to say that many existing projects are at a standstill, the contstuction industry is in a deep slump and that finance for major new projects will be very difficult to come by.
I wiould not get too worried not for anough 5 years or so anyway.

[laserblazer]

Unless they do the "Start the project, run out of money and leave a mess" routine

[floyd]

I think any coastal planning committee should be forced to stay for a month in Fuengirola. We stayed in a villa 3 miles inland so could see what was going on. I have never seen such a mess and a muddle of new high rise appartment blocks; and they're still building.

[ceh]

With my customary optimism, I agree that in the current climate building more 5* hotels must look less of a dead cert. Benagil/Caramujeira is a beautiful largely unspoilt area and I'd like it to stay that way.

[joanne]

I am just back and the square looks nice it is not all finished but it does not stop you sitting at the bars etc, it is still a bit of a mess on the out Road, but it really did not spoil my week at all

[Helen]

So today they started pulling up the hideous granite blocks on the road in & have started replacing them with metallic bollards!!

[laserblazer]

metallic bollards!!

Did you know that the male orangutang has metallic bollards. That's how it got its name

[Gary/Gaynor]

they are changing some of those blocks to steel poles in the square as some of those blocks are cracking and falling over already
Gaynor