Former British Hospital building welcomes first home owners after refurbishment

 In Development, Luxury property, News, Property

The former British Hospital building known as the Hospital dos Ingleses, which has been refurbished and turned into luxury apartments, has received its first home owners.

The old 18th century building located in the historic English Quarter (Quarteirão Inglês), was totally modernised by developers Mello RDC and architects António Costa Lima.

Located between the neighbourhoods of Estrela and Campo de Ourique, the refurbishment involved four buildings acquired from the British government – the former hospital building, the Estrela Hall Theatre, and the Chaplain’s Parsonage (Palacete da Capelão).

The British Foreign Office had owned the buildings since the 18th century when the lands had initially been ceded by the Portuguese crown for the cultural benefit of the foreign communities residing in Portugal, mainly the English and Dutch.

The British Government claimed possession of the entire area in 2009 under ‘usucapião’ – a Portuguese law that allows an entity or individual to claim possession of a property based, in this case, on centuries of occupation. (Vaguely similar to squatters’ rights or adverse possession)

In July 2013, the British Government linked the sale of the land to “the strategy followed by the Foreign Office to dispose of properties abroad that are not related to its diplomatic activities.”

After a very complicated negotiating process, “most of the stakeholders agreed that the lands were to be sold together.”

However, the English Theatre Association (The Lisbon Players) contested the move in court, but the court ruled in favour of the British Government.

The amateur theatre group was turfed out after over 70 years and forced to relocate – despite spending thousands on doing up the theatre and mending its roof – to make way for the redevelopment.

The English Quarter development has a total of 17 residential units, of various typologies, including duplex, in which all of them were sold to Portuguese families. The new apartments sold in just 30 days, topping the city’s price per square metre record by over 20%.

The Chaplain’s former residence, also renovated, was sold as a self-contained unit to an English couple. The building that housed the Accountants’ Association was ceded to Lisbon City Council for the construction of the new Campo de Ourique Health Center.

The name English Quarter, between Rua Saraiva de Carvalho, Rua da Estrela and Rua de São Jorge derives from its use and its users. The British Hospital, the Royal British Club, the Anglican Church of St. George (dating from 1822), the former parsonage of the respective Anglican vicar, The Lisbon Players, and the English cemetery which was preserved.