Between speculation and the future of the city - Porto

The Nun'Álvares urban development project, currently under public consultation, envisages the construction of three 25-story towers and approximately 1,600 housing units on an area of over 26 hectares. This is undoubtedly one of the largest urban developments in Porto in recent decades—but not for the best reasons.
With buildings reaching 100 meters in height, the plan represents a profound break with the traditional morphology of Foz do Douro and Nevogilde, areas where the relationship with the river, human scale, and architectural identity have always been foundational elements. Three months before the end of its term, it is unusual, to say the least, for an executive to decide to move forward with such a transformative project without proper, qualified public debate. Unfortunately, this has been the trend: a continuous de-characterization of the city's western zone, driven by urban interventions that are almost always unrelated to the common good and the needs of residents.
This type of strategy, disguised as "development," completely ignores fundamental principles of contemporary urban planning: quality of life, environmental sustainability, smart mobility, respect for built heritage, and social cohesion. Instead, it increases pressure on already overburdened infrastructure, overwhelms local public services, destroys the neighborhood's scale, and pushes permanent residents out of the city. The exponential increase in car traffic, the permanent shadows cast over existing buildings, the deterioration of the urban fabric, and the precedent set for new high-rise construction in sensitive areas—all of this creates a scenario that profoundly contradicts the values we desire for Porto: a Porto with and for the people of Porto.
The independence we defend is that of active citizenship, of the uncompromising defense of the public interest. And, for all these reasons, we demand the immediate suspension of this land division and a broad public debate.
The future of housing in Porto will involve strengthening the municipality's role in regulating urban land and fostering housing cooperatives, streamlining processes and reducing or eliminating municipal fees and taxes. Including mandatory social goals for affordable housing in all new urban development projects. Encouraging collaborative housing and shared ownership plans. Accelerating the rehabilitation of vacant or underutilized municipal assets for housing purposes. Paying attention to and increasing the exercise of the right of first refusal in the sale of rural buildings.
We must promote a city on a human scale, with proximity facilities, green corridors, and a mobility model that reduces car dependence and respects the existing urban fabric. Implementing a "digital twin" of Porto could allow for the simulation of urban impacts before authorizing new projects, ensuring that no relevant decisions are made without evidence and transparency.
It's urgent to return the city to its inhabitants. Porto's future is built with intelligence, urban justice, and political courage—not with 25-story towers hastily approved behind the scenes of power.
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