The new ‘Taipau’ area: Developments, doubts, and constraints

Named officially in the Macau Urban Master Plan (UMP) as “Taipa’s Northern Area 1,” the project of the new landfills comprising Zone C and D had its construction approved by the Central government in November 2009, together with three other areas (Zones A, B, and E) comprising a total development area of 350 hectares.

While Zone C (33 hectares) started to undergo construction in 2018, very few developments or projects have been worked on for Zone D, which is almost double in size (59 hectares) and to be built in front of the land plot known as the former “Ocean World” land plot.

More recently, and since the government has reclaimed the land, in November 2020, when the debated Taipa land plot was originally slated for the “Ocean World” theme park, local Public Works authorities expressed their intention of potentially abandoning the idea of building Zone D, in exchange for authorization from Central government to extend Zone A, filling in the existing water corridor between the Peninsula and the Zone A landfill.

This idea was not only intended to facilitate and accelerate the construction of the road links between the Peninsula and Zone A, but also to save financial resources, as the works to be done would be far less technically complex.

Since this idea was almost immediately rejected by the Beijing authorities, the plan for Zone D continues, with the plot seeing most of its area being assigned in the UMP as a residential and commercial area.

Zone C

According to the most up-to-date information published by the Public Works Bureau (DSOP), the Zone C landfill was completed last month.

Currently, the new land plot is undergoing a necessary pause on works for the natural settlement of the soil.

The DSOP also added that, since the land needs to settle, there is not yet a concrete timeline for the start of the construction of the access links.

The only works currently being performed on this area relate to the demolition of the temporary dikes that supported the construction and the removal of sludge created during the construction around the new area.

When questioned by the Times on the details regarding the access links to be built between the Zone C and Taipa coastline, the DSOP declined to respond, calling on the media outlet to instead refer to the public information to be posted on the topic on the official webpage of the Bureau. 

An analysis by the Times of relevant documentation published on the topic by both the DSOP as well as by the Land and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU) revealed that at least one road link connecting Zone C to the Taipa coastline via a bridge is planned, as well as a second link of the same style that would link Zone C to Zone D over the Governador Nobre de Carvalho Bridge.

In some documentation, the link between Zone C and Taipa is a double access point, with two bridges – one located in the southwest quadrant of Zone C and another located in the southeast quadrant.

The review of the same documentation also revealed that the government intends to build a “green coastal corridor” in both landfills’ areas. The corridor will not only connect the residential and the commercial neighborhoods but also follow a pattern of regional integration, as with those currently being developed in the Hengqin area to harmonize the environment.

Following concerns expressed to the Times by residents regarding the fate of Taipa’s coastal leisure area, which includes a cycling and jogging path, the Times sought more detailed information from government entities on how the construction of the access links would affect this area. However, these questions also did not receive an answer from any of the departments contacted, including the DSOP, the DSSCU and the Office of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário.

Non-official information gathered by the Times hinted at the possibility of the existing cycling and jogging paths being detoured into Zone C, as well as being extended to circle the whole coastal area of Zone C.

Zone D

As mentioned previously, Zone D of the new landfills is moving forward, since the government launched a public tender in 2019 for its construction.

Zone D will have an area of approximately 570,000 square meters and will be located in the north of Taipa and the maritime area away from the Estrada Nordeste da Taipa; that is, in the area between the Amizade Bridge and the Governador Nobre de Carvalho Bridge.

The land plot will be used mainly for housing purposes, according to the assignment in the UMP.

The DSOP also said, in response to the request of the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA), that sands and other materials to be used for filling the land will be selected and supplied by DSPA for some Zone D areas.

According to the tender, the maximum execution period for the construction has been set to 1,450 working days (about four years).

Information from DSOP also noted that the contract for the start of this construction has not yet commenced, so no works are currently being undertaken regarding this landfill.

The landfill is expected to cost almost 2 billion patacas.

Gov’t fining Zone C contractor for delays

The conclusion of the construction works of Zone C did not comply with the deadline originally stipulated in the contract when the adjudication of the works took place, the government has acknowledged at several points during construction.

Now the DSOP says that the process of imposing a fine on the contractor for delays in the conclusion of the works is already underway.

Back in November 2021, the government stated that the contractor had requested an extension of the deadline to execute the work. While the extension was granted, the government noted that the reasons given by the contractor for the delays were considered unreasonable.

According to the information published on the status of the public works with a value of over 100 million patacas, Zone C suffered a delay of around 35% of the agreed term when compared to the deadline initially set by the tender contract (645 days).

The budget of the construction has also increased by 0.3% from the initial tender price, to a total of 816.2 million patacas.