ANM: high-rise building project ‘unreasonable’

The New Macau Association (ANM) has once again urged the local government to suspend the high-rise building project that would obscure the view of the Guia Light House.
Yesterday, lawmaker Sulu Sou, together with another member of ANM, met with local media in the vicinity of land plot no.465 – no.513 of Av. do Dr. Rodrigo Rodrigues.
The government has planned to build a 90-meter tall high-rise building on the land plot.
Currently, the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) is collecting opinions from members of the public regarding a housing project designed for this piece of land. The collection of opinions will end on June 15.
While talking to the media, Sou expressed that he is worried about the high-rise building obscuring the view of the Guia Light House.
In 2008, the SAR government issued a policy (regulation No.83/2008) to restrict building heights within a 2.8-kilometer radius around Guia Light House. According to the regulation, 11 sections surrounding the Guia Light House are allowed to have new buildings, with a height no more than 90 meters. Different sections have different height restrictions, with levels ranging from five meters to 90 meters.
This specific land plot belongs to the fourth section of the 11 areas, where the height restriction for the specific land plot is 90 meters. Despite being currently under planning, and having a proposed height in accordance with the regulation, the pro-democrat association does not approve of the project in view of practical situations.
Speaking on behalf of the association, Sou condemned the government’s regulations as insufficient to protect the view of Guia Light House.
Sou believes that it is unpredictable how the actual natural view will be affected once the residential project is completed.
“Legal but unreasonable,” Sou remarked of the height restriction.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of Macau being listed as a World Heritage site. Not only has the government not prescribed a plan to protect these properties, “the SAR government is [also] breaking the international promise” of protecting the integrity of a world heritage view by any means necessary, Sou accused the local government.
The land plot is located next to the Liaison Office. Once completed, the building will become the second private residential project next to the public facility.
The lawmaker also urges the public to submit opinions to DSSOPT before June 15, to express opposition towards the plan.
He also urged the Cultural Affairs Bureau to clarify whether the department had evaluated the impact and whether the assessment should be delivered to UNESCO.
Previously, the government allowed the developer of Calçada do Gaio high-rise building to increase the building height to 80 meters. However, the regulations in this area only approves buildings of a maximum of 52.5 meters tall.