Reservoir protection zone (POAAP): can you build on it in Portugal?
Restricted: land near a public reservoir (albufeira) may sit in a protection zone where a reservoir plan (POAAP) sets preferred, conditioned and forbidden uses for the water and the land around it.
- Answer
- Depends on the reservoir's class and plan.
- Classes
- Protected use, conditioned use and free use.
- Binding force
- The plan binds public bodies and private people.
- Who decides
- The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the municipality.
- Reclassification
- Reservoir areas are excluded from the special housing reclassification.
- Legal basis
- POAAP programme page; Decreto-Lei 117/2024, article 72-B(2)
- Sources
- apambiente.pt/agua/planos-de-ordenamento-de-albufeiras-de...
files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2024/12/25200/0000900016.pdf - Checked
- 2026-11-05
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