The public consultation on the fourth batch of the proposed immovable property classification began yesterday and will run for 60 days. There are six properties to be classified in this batch, including Lingnan and Portuguese style buildings.
A press conference was held yesterday to introduce the classification, attended by Leong Wai Man, the president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), Choi Kin Long, head of the Department of Cultural Heritage of IC, and Choi Cheng Cheng, chief consultant and senior technician.
The properties to be classified include Chiu’s House, the previous dormitories for civil servants and the equivalent for general post office employees, the family residence of Sun-Yat Sen, the former site of a slaughterhouse in Barra, and the former site of a health station branch in Coloane.
In the press conference, Leong said that IC is continuing the census on immovable properties and collecting data for the classification. There are 158 classified immovable properties in Macau currently.
Among the six properties to be classified in this batch, only the place of residence of Sun Yat-sen’s family is held by private equity. Leong said the owner should pay for the maintenance of the properties regardless of the result of the classification. She also mentioned there is a subsidy from IC to encourage maintenance on privately owned properties.
According to Law No. 11/2013, Cultural Heritage Protection Law, the immovable property classification procedure will be launched when the properties can reflect local cultural features and are in an urgent or endangered condition of preservation; also, sufficient materials and data are necessary to meet the classification criteria.
The public consultation period will run until May 14, and there will also be public consultation sessions for the public at the Macao Cultural Center and Macao Museum of Art. Staff Reporter
