The Ultimate Relationship & the Earth Collective

Twists and turns

I have viewed the land in Braganca a couple more times in the last few weeks, and it’s been like peeling layers off the proverbial onion. As soon as I felt I had a grasp of the situation from what I was told by the owner, and also the rules regarding what can and can’t be done on the land from a planning perspective, something else revealed itself. And on it went, in endless twists and turns. Nonetheless, the glimmer of hope I experienced when I first saw the land, has grown into a real possibility.

Panaramic view of landscape from castle ruins
View from the castle, which can be seen from the land

On the second visit, I discovered that the owner (referred to in overly fond terms by the estate agent) is in fact, her father in law. Embarrassed by this lack of disclosure, she confided in my Portuguese architect Odete. Actually, it doesn’t bother me. I am grateful to have found the land, whoever owns it. However, lack of transparency has been a theme which is far more concerning.

Also on the second visit, Odete and I had a meeting with the municipality and this was instructive. First off, we discovered that land classifications in the area are due for review in the coming year, and this is a risk. If more (or all) of the land I am considering is classified as an agricultural reserve, the scope to build the Earth Collective project, will be limited or even disallowed. Fire risk zones also being reviewed. Currently, the area is low risk but if it is upgraded then, again, building might not be possible for a number of years. I also learned that an electricity connection will be required for my project (at significant cost to me, naturally), even though the intention is to be off-grid. So I will have to investigate if there are exemptions. This is one of the many ridiculous contradictions between the sustainable development rhetoric (at national and global levels) and the reality on the ground in local laws.

Donkey tied on grass verge in small village grazing
A friendly donkey

As a result of further investigations (checking, double-checking and checking again the constantly shifting landscape of rules and regulations), Odete found yet another restriction which stipulates that I cannot build within 50 metres of a neighbour’s property, or the road that bounds some of the the land. I am told this rule might be eased, but it would be folly to rely on that. This restricts our ability to locate buildings in the most advantageous positions for sun, views, shelter and so on. So, I am considering purchasing a few extra pieces of land from neighbours, in order to overcome the issue, which prompted the third trip to the land to inspect those areas. We attended a festival in the local village which was on at the same time, and walked up to the nearby castle ruins. It’s one of three castles in the area, which is rich in history, though poor and sparcely populated today. I like that. It adds interest to the location for my project, and probably some interesting lay lines and earth energies.

We also drove to a couple of nearby villages in search of a house for me to rent, so I can move to the area instead of driving three hours for each visit. An online search had proved useless, precisely because the region is undeveloped, which is another part of the appeal for me. We found one property to view. After being given the phone number of someone who knew the owner (apparently), it turned out that there were 5 degrees of separation between him and the actual owner. Very Portuguese! Sadly, the property was located between a takeaway and a go-cart track (in the middle of nowhere) and was unsuitable.

Statue made from Portuguese sweet bread at a festival in a Portuguese village
Sweet bread festival

There was another lead to investigate, which turned out to be a bit of a comedy sketch. I had been told by a contact, that her cousin owned a shop in a nearby village and would be a good person to talk to. So, we drove to the village and located what seemed to be the one and only shop, where we asked the elderly owner if she had a cousin called Luiza, who was a doctor and lived in Lisbon. 10 minutes of thinking and scratching her head finally yielded a ‘no’, but she told us there was another shop we should try. The outcome was the same, and we were directed to a third shop. Still no joy, so we admitted defeat. But the experience wasn’t wasted. It provided more valuable intel about the local people and the culture. And the village was charming.

As I write, I am getting ready for a fourth trip to Braganca, this time to discuss the purchase of the extra lands with the owner (he will get a better deal than I) and to clarify anomalies in the property documentation. I also need to know where he is at regards buying three small segments of land within the main plot, which I discovered (after the first viewing) did not belong to him and had been pawned to pay a debt. You can’t make it up!

Meantime, I have been doing a deep dive down another rabbit hole, a legal one and not for the faint-hearted. If only it was about buying the land, it would be simple. However, the way the property is purchased (by me or a company) needs to dovetail with a structure that will allow financial participation in the project for others, the right community vehicle, commerce, taxation and meet the requirements for agri-tourism (as this is how the project will be submitted for planning). To add another twist, I have also been investigating how to take the project into a ‘private’ domain (ie. remove it from ‘public’ jurisdiction) for added protection in an era of land grabs. I have been studying the difference between ‘lawful’ and ‘legal’ for the past few years (the reality of our world bears no resemblance to the fiction we have been taught). However, it is probably a step too far at the outset. What works in one country doesn’t work in another, as jurisdictions vary. And because this is a fledgling field where people are developing expertise in many different areas (land patents, notices of liability, private trusts, allodial titles, conditional acceptance, private members’ associations and more), it will have to wait until I am further down the line. So, for now, I will have to navigate the system the best I can.

Huge green engraved double door, entrance to massive basiclica in tiny Portuguese village
Basilica doors in a local village

To date, I have located a number of competent English speaking lawyers through word of mouth, and have had five video calls, though I still don’t have a cogent plan. I worked in the financial sector in the UK for many years and had a reasonable understanding of legal structures, but it’s very different in Portugal. Thankfully, I am not daunted by this particular can of worms. I will do what I always do and keep asking questions until I find my way. A turgid but effective strategy.

In the middle of all of these goings-on, and coinciding with the Winter Solstice, I felt a need to make a decision as to whether I was going to go for this land. Commitment and focus strengthens our ability to manifest. So, I went for a walk around a lake nearby and sat by the water’s edge to contemplate. It was a fabulous sunny day and the water sparkled magically. Stars and orbs streamed towards the rock I was sitting on. I made my decision and it feels like the force is with me, which helps to rise above what would otherwise be utterly infuriating. In my heart and mind, the project is done. I would so love it to be on this land.

Reflections of the sun in a deep blue lake appear as stars and orbs
Contemplating my commitment by a lake

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