CPU members unhappy with how gov’t considers Urban Conditions Plans

Some members of the Urban Planning Committee (CPU) are dissatisfied with the Land and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU) procedures that apply to the way certain Urban Conditions Plans (PCUs) are considered. This sentiment was expressed during a CPU meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

Several committee members raised issues including the lack of information on projects under consideration and cases where landowners faced no consequences for not adhering to previous committee instructions.

The discussion ignited over the debate over a PCU for a project at Rua dos Faitiões in Macau.

Some members pointed out that while the binding opinion from the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) stated that the “building façade should be preserved,” as the building is located in a protected area of the Macau Historical Center and consequently is subject to the “Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro Plan,” photos of the plot attached to the file showed that the façade had not been preserved, and the former building had been completely demolished several years ago.

In response, an IC representative explained that such a requirement had been transcribed from a previous PCU for the same land plot, issued years before. However, the façade had eventually collapsed due to deterioration and a lack of maintenance, coupled with severe weather conditions.

The IC official also noted that there was no penalty for the owner as he had filed a report explaining the situation.

One member argued that it made no sense to address the need to preserve a façade or part of a building that no longer existed.

In response, the IC representative said that the agreement with the owner was that he would  rebuild the façade of the building to match the original features and appearance.

Despite agreeing in principle to this solution, the committee member noted that there was a lack of detail on the appearance of the original façade in the PCU, including critical information such as measurements or drawings.

“How can we be discussing this if we are not aware of any of these arrangements,” he asked, noting that is not the first time that issue had occurred.

In closing, the president of the CPU and director of the DSSCU, Lai Weng Leong, acknowledged members’ concerns and assured them that the DSSCU would strive to improve and provide more accurate information in the future.

CPU ALLOWS WORKS ON CLASSIFIED BUILDING

The CPU also approved a PCU that allows extensive construction and renovation works at the building currently housing the Headquarters of the Delta Asia Bank, located at Calçada do Tronco Velho in Central Macau.

Committee member and head of the local Architects Association, Christine Choi, expressed surprise at the IC’s lenient requirements on the permitted changes to the original building, questioning the representative on the matter.

In response, the IC said that the requirements present in the bureau’s binding opinion are considered to be sufficient to ensure that the building façade, as well as the roof, are protected and retain their original characteristics.