The move comes a decade after Lisbon Council in 2008 delimitated 10 urban areas, known as the AUGI, which were deemed illegal but could be legalised either via detailed planning or by subdivision.
In comments to Lusa News Agency, Carnide Parish Mayor Fábio Sousa said: “We’ve been waiting for this for I don’t know how long. It has been a very long battle; it’s taken years.”
Since 2008 a number of committees have been created to oversee the matter and in 2013 the Municipal Assembly approved a Municipal Regulation that would reconvert the AUGI.
A number of houses and buildings and their residents were affected by the delimitations, although Carnide Parish Mayor Fábio Sousa said there are only “a few and in a good condition” and eligible for legalisation.
“The biggest problem in all of this is the expectations created among the residents that things are almost sorted, and which start to arise with the onset of the upcoming [local] elections in 2017.”
Nonetheless, he said Lisbon Council’s announcement that things are finally moving forwards is “an important moment” that will fulfil old dreams.
“Most of the residents, and there are fewer than 100, are elderly and say they would like to leave this matter resolved for their children. They don’t want to leave a messy heritage”, he explained.