Public consultations on heritage sites concluded with positive evaluation

Two public consultations ended last week regarding plans for the “Procedures for the Classification of Lai Chi Vun Shipyards” in Coloane and the “Plan for the Safeguard and Management of the Historic Center of Macau.”

The Cultural Affairs Bureau acknowledged in a statement the positive results of such consultations, as well as the agreement of “most residents” with the governments’ proposals in this field.

With regard to public consultation on the “Procedure for Classification of the Real Estate of Lai Chi Vun Shipyards,” which gathered approximately 300 opinions, the IC noted that, “most residents agree on the value of the area of Lai Chi Vun Shipyards, noted in the text of the consultation and on the need for its revitalization.” The bureau added that the majority of residents were also in favor of the condition that the original external structural characteristics of the shipyards should be properly reflected and represented during reconstruction works. The works are taking place to revitalize the space and to enhance security and safety.

Nevertheless, the IC also remarked that experts heard during the seminar on the revitalization and preservation of the shipyards “were unanimous in considering that the revitalization of the shipyard building area does not necessarily imply preserving its original appearance as a whole,” noting also that it is possible to make use of the revitalization for the future development of the area.

The bureau also added “there were also some voices that defended the improvement of the village, located on the opposite side of the shipyards and the expansion of the protection zone, among other aspects.”
According to the same statement, the IC “will take into account the opinions received in its work to follow the procedures of classification of this property,” noting that it will also, as soon as possible, “compile and summarize all the opinions collected and publish them.”

On the other hand, regarding the public consultation on the “Plan for the Safeguard and Management of the Historic Center of Macau,” the same bureau noted the four public sessions and six seminars that were held during the consultation period, which were attended by approximately three hundred participants.
According to the calculations of the government, the plan received around 1900 opinions through various channels of communication, most of these being “in favor of the content of the plan, considering that the work would be effective.”
In some other opinions, the IC noted additional proposals for the establishment of visual corridors, namely from Penha Hill area to the Governador Nobre de Carvalho Bridge.” The IC said that it  “will carefully analyze [these proposals] in order to improve the contents of the plan.”