More than 1,700 people have signed a petition defending Madeira’s urban model and opposing a rise in high-rise construction. The document, reviewed today by the Lusa news agency, has collected 1,732 signatures after comments from the President of the Regional Government, Miguel Albuquerque, who backed changes to Funchal’s Municipal Master Plan (PDM). He said the revision could allow residential buildings of up to 20 storeys as a response to the shortage of available land. The petition asks political parties represented in the Madeiran parliament to present a draft resolution urging the Regional Government (PSD/CDS-PP) not to approve changes that would generally permit buildings of more than ten storeys. It also calls for planning policies that support balanced urban growth, fit the scale of Madeiran towns and cities, protect the landscape and ensure infrastructure can handle development. The signatories say Madeira’s future urban model is a generational decision and should be discussed broadly with universities, professional bodies, local authorities, civic organisations and experts in urban planning, architecture, environmental protection and spatial planning. They add that more building capacity does not automatically mean cheaper housing, and warn that taller developments increase pressure on transport, parking, water supply, sanitation and civil protection costs for the wider community.
