At 6pm on Thursday 25th September of last month, in his opening speech, His Excellency President Alberto João Jardim of Madeira declared that Palheiro Village was a ‘magnificent development’. Further speeches by The Mayor of Funchal Dr. Miguel Albuquerque and Adam Blandy spoke of the projects innovation in terms of design and construction and how the development had strengthened their profile while providing a boost to the local economy.  While much was mentioned of its merits, Palheiro Village is the culmination of one mans dream and the innovative ideas of others in creating the ultimate in ‘designer’ homes.

Since 2004, the mountainside of Palheiro has undergone radical and progressive change. Yet, the idea to create a ‘luxury village complex’ had been on the drawing board since 1993.  The initial idea was to create luxurious accommodation in a stunning setting through the creation of a golf course, luxury villas, Quinta, spa (to be opened mid 2009) and Palheiro Village. With prime south facing land boasting outstanding views over the bay of Funchal and the Atlantic ocean, the opportunity to create something exemplary was simply too good to miss and in 1995 a small, dedicated team visited the mainland, to garner ideas for inclusion in the project.

Renown architect, Micheal Brown was tasked with the overall project design. He saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which would allow him to develop many of the concepts he long-wished to express. The inaccessible, rugged mountainous terrain merely added to the challenge and he quickly defined what was needed. In fact, during a meal, he sketched the initial plan on a table napkin, had it photocopied and handed it over to the other parties present. With the aid of some coloured pencils the concept was further developed and Palheiro Village was born; in fact, the design has altered very little from the original, especially in terms of roof styles and coving.
As the design developed, Development Manager, Roger Still was brought on-board to go through the plans with a fine-tooth comb and finally, after the usual headaches and difficulties, in late 2004 the first road was laid.  In 2005, the contractors moved in and the concept became a reality.

The forty-four villas, thirty-five apartments and the Forum (which includes reception area, swimming-pool and pool-bar) cover seven hectares (thirty acres) of land. Despite the rugged terrain, the properties sit serenely against the steep Madeiran mountainside. Looking out from the Forum it is difficult to imagine that this is a new development as the surrounding villages, houses and woodland blend harmoniously together. Although the hostile topography proved ultimately challenging it was strangely fundamental to the projects’ success.  Natural restrictions dictated that instead of building in phases the village was built from the bottom of the hill upwards. Working with the contours and geographical features of the land it was universally agreed that the project took on a ‘life of its own’, shaping their ideas to match its dynamic nature.  So much so, that their original five villa-type specifications increased to eleven and each has acquired its own identity.

Bringing in experts and employing proven building and interior construction concepts, such as under-floor heating for the villas (and in the bathrooms in the apartments), air conditioning (apartments only, villas have pre-installation connections), a choice of floorings including tiled, floating wood floor and carpets all designed to satisfy individual tastes, the properties are all finished to a high specification, each with cable TV connections and alarm systems. The villas and apartments are outstanding examples of contemporary classic design. Internally, the show homes are truly breathtaking, harnessing the creative minds of Maria Raposa from Portugal and Nini Andrade Silva from Funchal, Madeira. Their interiors are unique, bold and harmonious in their blend of colours, styles and soft furnishings.  The ‘show homes’ can be purchased fully furnished and the sales team will only be too happy to provide a quotation. Moreover, both Maria and Nini will provide designs and quotations for your home based on individual needs.
Palheiro Village provides more than just accommodation in a property of outstanding quality. All residents have exclusive rights to the Forum facilities, use of the golf course, Quinta ‘Casa Velha’ and spa facilities plus access to the yacht M.Y Balancal.

New to Madeira, Palheiro Management have introduced the Fractional Freehold Scheme (FFS).  This allows four parties to own one property. This is NOT timeshare as each party has full freehold rights of their respective quarter which, in effect allows them to enjoy, bequeath and even sell at a later date.  Over a four year period each owner has the opportunity to experience living here during the different seasons and be able to enjoy Madeira´s fantastic Christmas-light celebrations, other festivals and the spectacular New Year’s Eve firework display. All the properties come fully furnished and the conveyancing costs are included in the Fractional price. Although Fractional Freehold is still relatively uncommon in the UK, it is approved by Portuguese law where four different parties can own one property.

Although the champagne has been drunk there is still much to be done as phase one nears completion. In creating this concept, the Palheiro Estate  Management Team have become leaders and innovators in their field.
Palheiro Village is not just ‘designer living’ it is an outstanding example of craftsmanship, functionality and luxury situated in the heart of Madeira.

With special thanks to Sam Gannon - © The Brit in Madeira