Expatica news

Olhão and Silves warn that “licenses are mandatory before installing mobile homes”

caravan licenseThe installation or assembly of so-called mobile homes and caravans is subject to prior municipal licensing and the presentation of a construction project to the council, the two municipalities have warned.

The warning comes from the Olhão and Silves Councils, who decided to provide clarification to the public about the obligations associated with the installation of this type of housing, given its proliferation in recent years, namely in areas of the National Agricultural Reserve (RAN) and National Ecological Reserve (REN).

“At issue is, according to the law, the principle of human use of any building, which prevails over the eventual demountable or removable character of it”, explained the Olhanense municipality.

Thus, “prefabricated buildings, wooden houses, mobile homes, containers or caravans, regardless of their demountable and removable character, provided that they are intended for human use, are considered to be a licensed urban development operation”.

If the owners of these buildings do not follow the required legal procedures, they are subject to fines, as well as the execution of demolition and removal orders to restore the legality, warn both municipalities.

The two Councils say that their services are “available to all citizens, in order to clarify any doubts related to this theme”.

This news come in light of yesterday’s news regarding an ongoing incident at the Praia de Faro campsite, where residents are refusing the council’s order to leave, and have taken legal action to prevent eviction.