Forum calls for priority urban renewal zones as Macau revises 20-year master plan

[Photo: Renato Marques]

Public consultation on the draft amendments to the Macau Urban Master Plan (2020–2040) took center stage at a forum Aug. 15, where lawmakers and planning experts weighed in on how the city’s long-term blueprint should be reshaped.

At the event, organized by the Collective Wisdom Policy Center, lawmaker and vice chairman of the center Leong Hong Sai said the most significant aspect of the draft amendment is the concretization of major strategic projects through land-use adjustments, aimed at addressing the long-standing challenge of insufficient land for industrial development.

However, he noted that certain structural shifts and technical details have not yet been sufficiently debated by the public.

He recommended that the government take the initiative to designate “Priority Urban Renewal Zones,” citing the seven-building clusters in Iao Hon and the Inner Harbour waterfront as examples.

He argued that preliminary work should include legal demarcation, property rights surveys, and public infrastructure investment.

Leong also proposed using public housing resources to establish a “housing-for-renewal” transfer mechanism to alleviate the relocation difficulties faced by old-district property owners during redevelopment.

In addition, he suggested a conditional fee-waiver approach tailored to different districts. Under this framework, developers who agree to provide community facilities above statutory requirements or preserve historical urban fabric in renewal projects could qualify for proportional or full waivers of land premium charges, he said.

Infrastructure and smart integration gaps

Alfred Wong, executive director of the Smart City Alliance Association of Macau, pointed out that while the draft clearly prioritizes expanding the light rail network – starting with the East Line extension to connect the Border Gate and Qingmao checkpoints – longer-term issues remain unaddressed.

He noted the absence of an integrated smart data platform linking light rail, bus services, and border crossings, and expressed concern that the distant timeline for studying the Coloane line extension could result in uneven rail coverage across the territory.

To improve connectivity, Wong suggested the construction of all-weather pedestrian walkways and the installation of smart utility conduits.

He also called for seamless interchange between rail systems to enable smoother cross-border transfers, complemented by on-demand vehicle booking services to enhance short-distance travel options.

The consultation on the master plan revision remains open for public input, with stakeholders continuing to debate the finer points of Macau’s urban development trajectory for the next two decades.