Guimarães approves Municipal Director Plan revision

The Guimarães Municipal Executive has approved a revision of the Municipal Director Plan (PDM) by majority vote, with the Socialist Party (PS) abstaining. The proposal now moves to the Municipal Assembly for further consideration.

The revised plan significantly increases urban land by 1,148.06 hectares, an 18.55% increase over the current PDM. It also expands land designated for economic activities from 896.25 to 1,057.69 hectares to support business expansion. To address mobility, the plan includes five strategic road connections, such as Avepark–A11 and the city center–Urgezes link.

Mayor Ricardo Araújo stated that the revision aims to address housing, economic, and mobility challenges by adjusting construction parameters and minimum plot dimensions. He noted that the administration chose to improve the existing technical proposal rather than starting from scratch to avoid multi-year delays. Conversely, PS councilor Ricardo Costa justified the party's abstention by arguing the plan does not serve the interests of local residents and criticized the administration for inconsistencies regarding the document's strategic direction.