The Urban Conditions Plan (PCU) for the plots of land surrounding the Court of First Instance at Nam Van Lake was under discussion yesterday at the Urban Planning Committee (CPU).
As the Times first reported earlier last week, the PCU attracted much concern and opposition to the conditions being proposed for the plots of land, namely the one closer to the Bom Parto Fortress.
In the session, the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) continued to reaffirm that the maximum ceiling established, among other conditions, was determined according to the opinions of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) and took into account the protection of the heritage site, namely the Penha Hill area.
Several members, including architect André Lui, noted the concerns expressed over the visual impact if the conditions are not changed.
“We already discussed this last year and there are concerns over the visual impact. Many Portuguese friends [are] also worried about the height and impact on monuments,” he said, adding, “Just evaluating the numbers, it is very difficult to see the real impact that is going to be [made]. That’s why we need to work with image models: to better understand [what] it will look like if we insist on following these urban conditions.”
Lui added that he is well aware of the limited resource of land in Macau, which makes him insist on its responsible use, following good planning.
“I know that we have few resources of land in Macau and we need to use them well, but the lack of a proper plan can cause a problem for the next decades that we can’t revert. This is a problem, because these conditions will then serve as a reference to all the surrounding land plots, because they will take this height as a reference,” he remarked.
Another member, Chan Chiu I, also noted that the committee lacks sufficient information to make a decision.
“We lack information because there is no technical report,” she said, expressing the view that a report was needed before further debate is had on the matter.
Despite the concerns expressed, an IC representative said that public opinion has already been already noted and considered in the issuing of their opinion, adding that the bureau “already added a few conditions so that there is a visual corridor between the [Penha] Chapel and the coastal area of the lake, and that also extends till the Nobre the Carvalho bridge. This means that includes all the coastal areas of Nam Van so we can see the hill from there.”
The committee president, Wong Chiu Man, closed debate on the topic by saying that there was already enough debate on the matter, as well as consultation with the public, who had the opportunity to express their opinions and concerns.
