The new building going up next door was already approvedbefore the listing went live.The new building going up next door was already approved before the listing went live.
Licenças de construção are public record. PropCheck reads them from all 308 Câmaras Municipais and shows you what is being built, what has been approved, and what has been applied for — within 500 metres of any address.
Every building licence in Portugal must be registered with the local Câmara Municipal. PropCheck aggregates these licences from all 308 municipalities and maps them by coordinates, so for any address in Portugal you can see what is currently under construction, what has been approved and not yet started, and what planning applications are pending — including their scale, intended use, and current status under DL 10/2024 Simplex Urbanístico.
A property listing never tells you about the apartment block approved 200 metres away, or the mixed-use development that will change the character of the street within 24 months. Under Portuguese law, licenças de construção are public documents — but the only way to read them is to visit the Câmara Municipal in person or navigate each council's individual portal, many of which are poorly maintained or require registration.
PropCheck reads the same records and presents them on a map centred on your target address. If you are buying an apartment for the views or the quiet, this check belongs in your first 10 minutes of research.
What the construction check covers
Projects where the licença de construção has been issued and an Alvará de Construção (construction permit) is active. These are buildings that are currently being built. PropCheck shows the registered address or coordinates, the permitted use (residential, commercial, mixed), the number of approved units or floors, and the registered construction commencement date.
Projects where the Câmara Municipal has issued the licença de construção but the Alvará has not yet been activated. These are approved developments that will begin construction within their licence validity period (typically 2–3 years). This is the most important category for buyers: a neighbouring plot with an approved 8-storey residential development is a material fact that should inform your offer price.
Planning applications submitted to the Câmara Municipal that are under review and have not yet been approved. These are less certain than approved projects, but a large pending application on an adjacent plot is a risk that a diligent buyer should be aware of. Under DL 10/2024 Simplex Urbanístico, the approval timeline for many application types has been shortened, which means pending applications move to approved status faster than before 2024.
The PDM (Plano Diretor Municipal) defines the permitted land use and maximum construction parameters for every plot in the municipality. PropCheck shows the zoning classification for the target property and adjacent plots: is the plot next door classified for residential construction? Commercial? Mixed use? And what is the maximum permitted height? A currently empty plot in a zone permitting 6-storey residential construction is a very different neighbour from an empty plot in a protected green zone.
Sample output — address in Oeiras
Construction Pipeline · Oeiras · 500m radius · Sample6 records found
Status
Type
Scale
Distance
Active build
Residential — 24 units
6 floors
180m NW
Approved
Mixed use — retail + 12 apartments
4 floors
340m NE
Approved
Residential — 8 units
3 floors
420m S
Pending
Commercial — offices
5 floors
280m E
Completed 2024
Residential — 18 units
5 floors
95m SW
Completed 2023
Infrastructure — road widening
—
210m N
PDM zoning: Espaço Urbano — Classe B · Adjacent plot (E): permitted use Residential + Commercial · Max height 18m (6 floors)
The active build at 180mA 6-floor residential build 180 metres north-west is a material fact if the property you're considering has north-west views or is relying on light from that direction. PropCheck flags this automatically. The agent is not required to disclose it — and in most cases won't mention it unless you ask.
Frequently asked questions
Know what's going up before you commit.
The building approved 200 metres away won't be mentioned in the listing. PropCheck reads the public record so you don't have to.
