Blue flags in our beaches

The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label awarded. Blue Flag works towards sustainable development at beaches/marinas through strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and other services.

The Blue Flag Programme includes environmental education and information for the public, decision makers and tourism operators.

Today it was announced the list of beaches which will have a blue flag in 2007:

Alcobaça – Légua;

Nazaré - Praia da Nazaré;

Caldas da Rainha – Praia do Mar;

Peniche – Baleal Norte, Baleal Sul, Cova de Alfarroba, Gambôa, Medão Supertubos and Consolação;

Lourinhã – Porto Dinheiro and Valmitão;

Torres Vedras – Santa Rita Norte;

Mafra – São Lourenço, Ribeira de Ilhas, Baleia e Foz do Lizandro.

A Golf Course in Caldas da Rainha council

An English company (New World Investments) is investing 200 million euros on the construction of Rainha Golf & Spa Resort. The resort will be located between Foz do Arelho and Serra do Bouro (North of Foz do Arelho). It will have a 5-star hotel (120 beds and 7 suites), 360 apartments and 550 villas, and an 18-hole golf course.

The golf course construction is planed to start this year and it should be finished by the first quarter of 2009.

The resort area is 170 hectare and according to some newspapers of the region, its construction has been planning in the last 15 years. According to Dennis O’Sullivan (president of the board), the delay is due to the difficulty in buying the lands (each piece is owned by a different owner).

According to recent news, “95% of the lands have been bought and soon the small problems will be solved” says Marques Pereira, lawyer and legal representative of the English company.

Falésia d’El Rey (Béltico)

On the 3rd Congress of the Oeste Region, that took place in Alcobaça in the beginning of May, were presented the new projects for the region estimated in three thousand million euros, including Falésia d’El Rey.

The project Falésia d’El Rey was presented as having “two 5-star hotels, 480 homes, a golf course and other recreation facilities”. The Portuguese Investment Agency (API) considered this project as a “Project of National Interest” (PIN).

The combine project of Béltico Group (UK) and Crissier Group (Brazil) will cost about 400 million euros (70% and 30% respectively).
José Pampolim, vice-president of Béltico group, said recently in a newspaper interview that “Béltico is going to built more properties in Praia d’El Rey until reaching 1.500 units. (…) At Falésia d’El Rey, one hotel might be Marriott’s JW and the other will be a charm hotel, smaller than the first. (…) 75% of the PDR units are sold, the gross part to foreigners. English, Irish and Nordics are the main customers. Some of them got retired and came to live here. Portuguese people use the houses on weekends.”