Northern District Community Service Consultative Council members raised their concerns about the preservation of old buildings during a regular meeting at the MacauGovernment Service Centre in Areia Preta district yesterday.
According to council members Choi Si Wai and Xu Zhiwei, old residential buildings in the peninsula’s northern district ( 北區 ), especially in Iao Hon, are in a poor condition. Choi said that old buildings which are more than 40 years old were difficult to preserve, manage and sanitise, causing problems such as spalling concrete, damaged electric wires, and water leakage.
For improvements, Choi urged the government to consultold low-rise buildings’ flat owners’ opinions on its repairment subsidies, as most of them thought the policy was either “too difficult to apply” or “too hard to get approved”. He said that the government should speed up and work on urban renewal projects and preservation work in order to improve residents’ living standards.
Meanwhile, fellow council members such as Lio Kun Fai, Chang Kam Pui, Hoi Lok Man and Cheong Wun Ian agreed that urban renewal work in the northern district is essential.
Lio mentioned that the government should refer to reconstruction examples inthe mainland and foreign countries. He added that this could be used as a reference for Macau’s reconstruction ratio without affecting too many people. Moreover, he urged property owners to actively communicate about future ownership matters with the government.
Hoi and Cheong said they believed that by engaging in urban renewal projects, the government could uplift residents’ living standard. They suggested reconstruction in Iao Hon, as well as implementing home-swap housing and temporary housing projects.
Chang said that the government should regularly update the public on the progress of Macau’s environmental and social planning, as well as about field investigations to examine the current living environment in the northern district.
Northern District Community Service Consultative Council members meet at the Macau Government Service Centre in Areia Preta district yesterday. Photo: Ula Cheang
