Marreiros urges gov’t to ‘act quickly’ on land reclamation

Carlos Marreiros

A renowned local architect has urged the government to quicken land reclamation works. Speaking at a France Macau Business Association [FMBA] breakfast meeting yesterday morning, Carlos Marreiros, a former president of the Cultural Institute and current head of the Albergue SCM, specified that “Macau needs to act quickly” in light of a projected population surge and an affordable housing shortage in the SAR.
Marreiros led a presentation at the Sofitel Macau Hotel about the recent Land Reclamation Policy, the urban planning for the new zones, and the regional integration of Macau. Citing several maps dating from the early 18th century up to the modern age, he showed how the Macau peninsula had evolved through urbanization and land reclamation.
While the renowned architect commended some of the work on the land reclamation projects – particularly in Zone A to the east of the peninsula – he questioned the progress on the other proposed islands.
In light of population pressures and a scarcity of affordable housing units, he remarked, “I don’t know why the reclamation work on only some of the islands has started [and not on the others]. It takes time,” before adding that “Macau has money.” He struggled to find any formal justifications in official reports for the delay in land reclamation progress on some of the islands.
According to government data, Macau’s population at the end of the second quarter of 2014 was estimated to be 624,000. A government-run think tank, the Policy Research Office, projected in 2013 that the local population would reach 800,000 by 2036, but Marreiros asserts that, according to a recent (unidentified) study, Macau’s population could surpass that number as early as 2025.
With “probably” the highest population density in the world, Macau offers its citizens and residents only 20 square meters per person. Marreiros motioned with his hands to show an imaginary square, four by five meters, and posited, “This per person? We have no space at all!”
During one part of the presentation, he showed the assembly 3D-rendered artistic representations of the islands upon completion. The land looked optimistically ‘green’ in contrast with the greyish tones of the rest of the peninsula.
“Overall I think that the plan is good. Regarding the green areas, the planning is on par with top cities around the world, and it is in keeping with the [geographical] profile of the peninsula,” said Marreiros.
From 1989 to 2007 alone, the Macau peninsula’s reclaimed land grew from 17.4 square kilometers to 29.2 square kilometers. According to the architect, in 2006, the peninsula was two and a half times as large as it was less than a century ago, in 1912.
The modern land reclamation project, known as the Macau New Urban Zones, is a 7.3-square-kilometer grouping of islands known as “zones”. Once completed, the project is expected to provide ample space for the construction of homes for 162,000 local residents.
There has been some controversy surrounding various aspects of the project: the burdensome bureaucratic procedures; the feasibility of bridges or tunnels as part of the project; and delays accredited to a shortage of sand supply.
In June, nearly three and a half years after the project’s second public consultation in 2011, a third and final 40-day consultation period was held. During the consultation, the government announced that it would prioritize the development of Zone B, connecting to the south side of the Macau peninsula.
The ceremony yesterday concluded with the presentation of a certificate welcoming Marreiros as a member to the FMBA. The association meets regularly to discuss issues relating to French and Macau trade and investment, regional cooperation and development opportunities. Staff Reporter