Portugal to have new business area in Tomar

The municipalities of Tomar and Vila Nova da Barquinha are preparing a joint offer of more than 100 hectares of business land by linking two adjoining industrial zones to attract larger investments, Tomar's mayor has announced.

By TPN/Lusa, in News, Business · 07 Nov 2026, 09:03 · 0 Comments

Credits: TPN; Author: Roberto Cavaleiro;

The mayor explained that the project connects the future Asseiceira economic activity area, in Tomar, with the planned expansion of Vila Nova da Barquinha's industrial zone. Both are located in the Santarém district, near the boundary between the two municipalities.

“Together, we can create a considerably large industrial zone here,” said Tiago Carrão (PSD) at Monday's municipal executive meeting, highlighting the advantages of presenting both areas as a single solution for investors.

According to Tiago Carrão, the two areas are expected to extend towards the administrative boundary, creating a space covering “a little over 100 hectares” that could offer more competitive conditions than either zone individually.

“This is something we are already working on [...] with Vila Nova da Barquinha Town Council, essentially preparing ourselves to present a single solution,” he said, referring to contacts with the neighbouring municipality's mayor and the involvement of technical teams from both councils.

The size of the area and its proximity to road and rail connections could help attract companies, although the strategy for its occupation is still being defined.

Tiago Carrão identified aerospace and defence as sectors with growth potential, linking these expectations to the announced investment in the Tancos aerodrome and the presence of military infrastructure in the region, particularly in Santa Margarida.

The cooperation with Vila Nova da Barquinha forms part of a broader municipal strategy to increase the availability of land for economic activities, which also includes the creation of a business zone in Vale dos Ovos, in the parish of Sabacheira.

The mayor acknowledged that Tomar currently lacks industrial land capable of meeting all demand, a situation which, he said, has already prevented investment opportunities from materialising in the municipality.

As an example, he cited interest expressed several months ago by a pharmaceutical group, for which the municipality was unable to find a plot with the required characteristics.

To move forward with the Asseiceira and Vale dos Ovos projects, the municipality is pursuing procedures to amend the Municipal Master Plan (PDM) and reclassify land, seeking a faster approach than drawing up detailed development plans.

Tiago Carrão said he intends to begin acquiring land for at least one of these areas during 2027, also considering partnership arrangements with landowners through development units.

In the case of Vale dos Ovos, a preliminary estimate points to an investment of at least €5 million, including land acquisition, improvements to general infrastructure and the urban development works required to create business plots.

The mayor highlighted the need to strengthen the water supply network in Sabacheira, which he considers essential to enabling companies to establish themselves in the area.

The explanations were provided in response to councillor Manuel Roque (PS), who questioned the executive about its ability to attract investment, the timeframe for making the new business areas available and the outlook for other zones identified in the PDM.

Manuel Roque also advocated linking business land availability with housing provision, while Tiago Carrão acknowledged that the shortage of industrial land is harming the municipality's competitiveness.