Construction trade calls for more details on land auction
The lack of information on the planned land auction initiative, which the government confirms will be proceeding, has prompted the construction industry to ask for more details.
Recently, the trade, represented by six industry associations, formed a concern group and held a press conference to amplify their voices.
Wong Kuok Kei, deputy executive director of the Macao Association of Building Contractors and Developers, complained that the industry has been provided little information about the claimed land auction initiative, local media has reported.
“We do not know how land will be auctioned or how much and how tall we can build,” Wong said in comments cited by All About Macau. He added that local constructors have interest in buying the land but may be limited by their capacity.
When asked how many land auctions the industry hopes the authorities can provide to meet the needs of future market development, Wong answered that it depends on the government’s future development plans for the city.
“Government has the full discretion as to what land will be auctioned,” Wong said when commenting on the reactive position of the business sector. “We have no expectations. In fact, what can we expect? We are not informed of the mechanism.”
He added that there is no land auction by application from the business sector.
At the same conference, Lo Chi Cheong, executive director of the Macau Construction Association, said that he was anticipating public land auction and called for more details from the government.
In addition, he expressed hopes that some plots of land on the New Urban Zone A would be put to auction. “Excluding private development on Zone A will not work out, for auxiliary commercial facilities are required on any district,” he commented.
On Covid-19, Lo disclosed that 90% construction workers have caught the disease. Although some of them have recovered, they have only regained half of their pre-Covid physical capabilities. As such, he hoped that the government will permit a longer project delivery period.
