Going forward, if a hotel is built in commercial areas such as Myeong-dong, Yeouido, and Teheran-ro, the project will be eligible for an incentive that eases the floor area ratio by up to 1.3 times. The move is aimed at boosting Seoul's tourism competitiveness.
The Seoul city government said on the 14th that it held the 6th subcommittee on delegated authority of the City and Architecture Joint Committee on the 12th and approved with amendments a proposal to change the urban management plan to expand the supply of tourist accommodation in commercial areas.
Accordingly, when tourist accommodations are built in nine areas—including Myeong-dong, Bukchang-dong, Teheran-ro, Jamsil, Yeouido, the Yeongdeungpo secondary business district, Mapo, Yongsan, and Wangsimni—the floor area ratio will be eased by up to 1.3 times.
Facilities must meet standards equivalent to at least three stars under the hotel business rating criteria, and the extent of relief will vary depending on the proportion of guest rooms, but if height limits make it difficult to secure an appropriate floor area ratio, building coverage and maximum height regulations may be eased.
The city also plans to revise the urban planning ordinance under amendment to expand eligibility beyond tourist hotels to include family hotels and hostels.
The district-unit plan specialized for tourist accommodations has been designated for areas with concentrated tourist demand and good transportation access. The nine areas including Myeong-dong will receive ongoing floor area ratio incentives, while 54 zones including Sinchon will see temporary floor area ratio relief for three years.
Administrative procedures will also be streamlined. The city will first prepare steps such as proposing the district-unit plan, public viewing by residents, consultations with related departments, and deliberations, so that in the subsequent permitting phase, only prior consultations will be required.
In addition, the dual height regulations applied to quasi-residential areas near Gimpo Airport have been eased. The amended proposals for the district-unit plan area and changes to the district-unit plan decision for the Shinwol·Sinjeong living-area center were approved with modifications. The Shinwol·Sinjeong living-area center district-unit plan area is a quasi-residential area at the western end of Yangcheon District near Gimpo Airport that has been subject to separate regulations, including height limits under the Airport Facilities Act.
The city first raised the floor area ratio for quasi-residential areas from a minimum of 250% to up to 400% and adjusted the dual height regulations that had been applied under both the Airport Facilities Act and the district-unit plan. It also revised rules that had prohibited apartment housing in quasi-residential areas and reduced the scope of joint development zones.
Regarding the development plan for lot No. 34-3 in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, the city also reviewed whether infrastructure is sufficient. The city deliberated on the adequacy of eight types of infrastructure, including roads and sewers, and decided that parks, green space, and parking require improvements and will be expanded later. Going forward, the area will see the construction of an office facility and neighborhood living facilities with 31 stories above ground and eight below.