Seoul city has streamlined the district unit plans for five preservation management zones within redevelopment promotion districts. It decided to expand the overhaul of aging residential areas and the supply of dwellings by unifying the floor area ratio system and abolishing the mandatory nonresidential ratio in quasi-residential and commercial areas.
Seoul city said on the 1st that it held the 6th Urban Redevelopment Committee meeting on the 30th and approved with amendments the "redevelopment promotion plan (district unit plan for preservation management zones) decision (change) plan" for five preservation management zones within the redevelopment promotion districts. The sites are five locations: ▲ the Sinjeong district unit planning area in Yangcheon District ▲ Mangu District in Jungnang District ▲ Imun living-area center, Hoegi area, and Jeonnong 1 District center in Dongdaemun District.
A preservation management zone is an area within a redevelopment promotion district that does not meet the requirements for redevelopment or reconstruction, or needs to be maintained and managed as an existing urban area. Seoul city presented a city-level guideline for plans that had been promoted by individual zones.
With this overhaul, the floor area ratio standards that had been applied differently by zone will be unified, and items for easing the maximum floor area ratio, which had been operated on a limited basis, will be fully expanded by including easing items under other laws and regulations.
The base floor area ratio will be raised to the level of the local government ordinance floor area ratio, and if public-interest elements such as smart city, carbon neutrality, and design innovation are reflected, the allowable floor area ratio can be increased to up to 110% of the local government ordinance floor area ratio. In addition, open space, energy efficiency ratings, and green building will be included among the targets for easing the maximum floor area ratio.
The mandatory ratio of nonresidential uses (10% of floor area ratio) that had to be secured in quasi-residential and commercial areas will also be abolished. Depending on the locational characteristics of the area, the ratio of nonresidential uses can be applied autonomously. However, within commercial areas, residential mixed-use buildings must secure at least 10% of total floor area for nonresidential uses under the current urban planning local government ordinance.
When building rental dwellings in residential areas, the limit will be eased to up to 1.2 times the local government ordinance floor area ratio, and for commercial areas with active business districts, a tourism accommodation specialized zone will be designated to temporarily ease the limit to up to 1.3 times the local government ordinance floor area ratio when building tourism accommodation facilities, improving project feasibility.
Facilities must meet the standards (guest rooms, ancillary facilities, etc.) corresponding to three stars or higher under the hotel industry rating criteria, and the scale of easing will be applied differentially according to the share of guest rooms. If it is difficult to secure an appropriate floor area ratio due to height limits, additional easing such as building coverage ratio and maximum height will also be allowed in consideration of surrounding conditions.
Seoul city plans to continue institutional improvements to revitalize redevelopment promotion districts in line with the policy stance of expanding private-sector dwelling supply to improve residential environments.
Choi Jin-seok, Seoul city's housing bureau chief, said, "Through this batch overhaul of preservation management zones, we expect to see qualitative improvements in residential environments that citizens can feel, along with expanded tourism infrastructure."