Metal cage proliferate in old quarters as gov’t warns against advertisements

In Macau’s old quarters, the distinctive yet illegal “metal cages” are everywhere; despite the government’s 2022 Urban Building Legal System Bill and increasing fines for unauthorized installations, social media has recently seen advertisements offering these services.

Wandering through the old town, one encounters the city’s iconic “metal cages” – a “distinctive” architectural feature.

However, these structures are illegal due to their potential safety hazards. In 2017, an accident involving a falling metal cage highlighted these dangers when a worker hired to dismantle the metal cage from a fourth-floor unit lost his footing, causing both him and the cage to fall onto another cage belonging to a first-floor resident.

Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred when a discarded cigarette butt allegedly ignited debris, setting a residential cage on fire.

Chinese media reported earlier this year that Macau has over 6,000 buildings of various types, with 4,838 commercial, residential, and industrial structures that are 30 years or older.

Low-rise buildings with seven stories or fewer account for more than 3,500 of these structures. Additionally, there are over 190,000 unauthorized constructions, including metal cages, awnings, rooftops, clothes drying racks, air conditioner brackets, exhaust pipes, and thousands of rooftop structures.

Reviewing past reports shows that the Land and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU), recognizing the risks posed by unauthorized structures that increase building loads and compromise structural safety, established its “Interdepartmental Permanent Demolition Team for Illegal Construction” in 2010 and launched the “Voluntary Demolition Subsidy Program for Unauthorized Structures” in 2013 to address these issues.

In 2022, the “Urban Construction Legal System” was implemented, increasing fines to encourage residents to remove unauthorized structures while explicitly targeting new cases of illegal construction. Authorities conduct on-site investigations upon receiving reports, with immediate penalties for ongoing construction.

For existing illegal structures, offenders are notified to address violations, and failure to comply within a specified timeframe results in penalties.

Last year, the government also introduced the Building Maintenance Subsidy and Interest-Free Loan Scheme, which focuses on removing unauthorized structures from unit exteriors and restoring buildings according to their original design plans.

However, while authorities are intensifying efforts to crack down on illegal construction projects, including metal cages – particularly in newly built, renovated, or structurally compromised buildings, as well as in buildings issued occupancy permits after the new law took effect – it has recently been found that numerous advertisements offering metal cage installation services persist on social media platforms. In response, the authorities issued a statement yesterday expressing “high concern and condemnation.”

“Authorities are cracking down on illegal metal cage installations after a surge in online advertisements promoting these unlawful services,” the DSSCU announced in a statement yesterday. “We urge residents not to take chances and to avoid patronizing these illegal services.”

The bureau emphasized that these advertisements, often featuring short videos, solicit business and encourage residents to engage in illegal construction projects, thereby compromising public safety. “We will investigate these advertisements for violations related to illegal construction, and if verified, cases will be opened for follow-up,” the bureau stated.

The bureau also reminded the public of the significant penalties associated with illegal construction, noting that “some units have been fined MOP180,000 for illegal works, such as installing metal cages, while another unit faced a MOP240,000 fine for installing multiple sets.”