Hi

Does anybody know the current legislation on erecting a log cabin? is it possible to build a log cabin on agriculture land with a restriction of not being able to lay concrete foundations or could i purchase land with a ruin and build without as many restrictions?

Spoke to a few people on this subject matter, no definitive answers, still confused:

The answer is probably a big NO, you cannot legally build and reside on land designated as agricultural.
Nor would it be easy to get permission to rebuild a ruin if that was not previously a legal human habitation.
Agricultural land is just that to be used for farming and nothing else.

Biggest hurdle is the Habitation Licence, you won't get one unless you go through the planning process. You won't get planning permission to construct anything other than a storage space on agricultural land and you wont get an electricity or water connection without a habitation licence.

A permanent log cabin needs to be on a concrete base and again the concrete base needs planning permission (anything involving concrete does).

They'll also want to know what you're doing with sewage etc?

Sorry to sound so negative here Bytor,but there are very strict rules here.Also concerning homes made of wood.i remember the German firm Huf house trying to set up here with their superb wooden houses.It was a no go I'm afraid..Big fire risk I guess

Very close to us what we are calling the plastic house is close to being finished.
It is a large villaconstructed from a german bulding system.
It is up for sale it will be interesting to see the price it is being sold at.

Oooh I wonder if it's that Portuguese copycat Hof Houses?..Why Plastic?.

Would love more information on the 'plastic' house too....EMR maybe send photos...
Deb

We call it the " plastic house " because it compared to modern portuguese building methods it looks a bit flimsy and has gone up in a fraction of the time it would normally take in Portugal.
There is a web site so I will get the details and post it.

At the moment it is still unclad and the exterior walls look like chipboard wooden panels.

Maybe just modern building methods then EMR. Seen some amazing ones on the British TV prog about building your dream home.Some like Huf houses go up in two weeks because they are pre-constructed in their factory in Germany.We visited their model village made up of all the house styles they produce,all completely furnished with gardens designed and laid out by them too..It was an eye opener,Fantastic.and very affordable compared to conventional and expensive brick built homes.Watched one being built only last week on TV where all the bricks slotted together into concrete frames like Lego,the wiring,insulation,heating elements already fitted..Love to build one like that

I have a plot of land with a 44sq mt ruin near Tavira all legal and have owned it for some 28 years but because of the crazy planning laws you can only build a small house, it is just not worth the hasle for me but it would make a nice little project for someone, ideal for a log cabin, land size is 400 sqmt. and it is only 10 mins from Tavira. Has sea and mountain views. I have just done all the land marker paperwork at the Freguesias yesterday. Make me an offer it has got to be the cheapest piece of building land near Tavira. Sorry thats 10 Mins from Tavira not 100

You can have a home made of wood - but if you want to insure it - watch the premiums go through the roof !

Big, big fire risk. Lots of forest fires.

One near us a couple of years ago had the village on evacuation standby and the village blanketed in a haze of smoke for 2-3 days:

Video: Forest fire rages in Portugal - Telegraph

No - you can't build a legal house on agricultural land - if it's urban land - that's ok to get permission (eventually) but rural land - no - not unless there is the footprint of a prior property and you may get permission if you register that property.

(It can take up to 2 years, I've heard, but correct me if anyone else has tried it and got permissions through quicker).