Vian’Acorda seeks to halt Viana do Castelo market construction

The Administrative and Fiscal Court of Braga has preliminarily admitted an injunction filed by the heritage defense association Vian’Acorda. The legal action seeks to halt construction of the new municipal market in Viana do Castelo to protect archaeological remains discovered at the site of the former Coutinho building.

Vian’Acorda alleges several legal violations, including non-compliance with the Historic Center Detail Plan regarding architectural integration, violations of the Water Law due to the basement's location in a flood zone, and failure to conduct required noise impact assessments. The association also criticized the handling of archaeological findings, claiming that only superficial surveys have been conducted and that existing traces have been destroyed without a final report.

In response, Viana do Castelo Mayor Luís Nobre stated that the municipality has always complied with the law and intends to use all administrative and judicial mechanisms to defend the public interest. He warned that the city would seek compensation for any delays, increased construction costs, or loss of funding resulting from the association's actions.