The intervention, which will go to public tender, aims to resolve the structural problems caused by erosion of the Ave River and the runoff of rainwater, which have caused displacements in stone blocks and sinking in the pavements, representing risks to the safety and use of public space.

According to the city hall, the work includes “reinforcing the foundations, building a new retaining wall, rehabilitating the storm drainage network and completely replacing the affected pavements”.

The objective is to "guarantee the stability of the urban front and enhance one of the city's most emblematic locations".

“This is a long-needed intervention, but due to its specific characteristics and complexity, it had to be carefully prepared. It combines technical rigor with respect for heritage,” said the mayor of Vila do Conde, Vítor Costa, in a note sent to the Lusa news agency.

The intervention will be promoted by the City Hall, despite the area being under the jurisdiction of Docapesca, and for this purpose, a project was drawn up based on technical surveys carried out in different phases of the tide, as well as geotechnical studies, taking into account the hydraulic complexity of the work.

Entities such as the Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N), Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP), Docapesca and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) were also consulted.

The expected execution period is 240 days after the start of works.