Portugal’s aviation regulator ANAC has rejected a request for prior appraisal of the construction of a second airport in the capitol.
The planned construction of a second airport in Lisbon has been blocked by Portugal’s aviation regulator, after local councils cited environmental concerns.
Following the decision the Portuguese government said the project will be re-evaluated and compared with other options.
It was set to be built by French construction group Vinci, on the military base of Montijo, on the southern bank of the Tagus river
But the aviation regulator, ANAC, said on Tuesday it had rejected a request for prior appraisal of the feasibility of the airport’s construction, stating the project did not have the necessary support of local councils.
ANAC cited a law which states all municipalities had to be in favour of the project, and two were against it, one didn’t give an opinion, and two were in favour.
Among the reasons for voting against the plan were environmental concerns, ANAC added.
The government has decided to launch a "strategic environmental assessment procedure" to compare the project, which was to be built in 2022, with other options, the Ministry of Infrastructure said in a statement.
These options include the construction of a new single airport in Alcochete, another municipality located south of the capital, or making Montijo airport the main infrastructure while keeping the current airport in a complementary role.
