Signed by the Urban Planning Councillor, Joana Almeida (an independent elected by the PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança coalition), the proposal was discussed in a private meeting of the municipal executive and was approved with votes in favour of the PSD/CDS-PP leadership (which governs without an absolute majority) and the Socialist Party (PS), an official city council source told Lusa.

According to the same source, the PCP, Livre, and Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected by the PS/Livre coalition) abstained, and the Left Bloc voted against.

"The proposed expansion consists of expanding the existing CUF Descobertas Hospital building, [...] addressing the need to improve the offerings of the various healthcare services that characterise the hospital, with a view to its sustainable operation," the document states.

This private hospital is located on Rua Mário Botas, in the parish of Parque das Nações, and opened its doors in 2001.

The proposed expansion project also includes changes to the public space, including a new road exit onto Rua Corsário das Ilhas.

"Some of these changes have been implemented since the building's initial licensing, justified by the constant need for new responses and new demands, a characteristic of the evolving dynamics and functionality of hospital facilities. Therefore, this proposal also aims for their respective legalization," states the document signed by the Councillor for Urban Planning.

The project has a total area of ​​5,571.58 m2 (square meters) and a built area of ​​26,438.58 m2, maintaining the same number of floors—eight floors above the threshold level and three floors below the threshold level—and increasing the facade height to 27.15 meters (+1.35 meters), the building height to 31.25 meters (+2.05 meters), and "resulting in a capacity of 186 beds and 185 parking spaces."

"Given the visual impact study presented, the proposal is not likely to affect the view system," the proposal states, adding that the permit for the construction of a public parking lot on the surface right in the basement of Rua Mário Botas is currently under consideration. Therefore, the hospital expansion project will include and ensure the connection between the respective accesses.

This urban development project "constitutes an operation with a significant impact, and as such, would be subject to the concession and compensation regime," but the proposal does not provide for concession areas for public use equipment and green spaces, as the Urbanization Plan for the Expo 98 Intervention Zone already includes these areas.

Approval of the CUF Descobertas Hospital expansion project is subject to approval of the property regularization, submission of the landscaping project and the respective accessibility plan, and compatibility of access with the parking area under consideration.