Seongnam said it will fully reconsider the Botdeul Retention Basin development project. As criticism grew that reducing the basin could cause flood damage and hurt the residential environment, the city effectively put the project on hold and stepped back. With next year's local elections ahead, public opinion that it is "development that goes against local sentiment" appears to have had an impact.
A Seongnam City Hall dwellings division official said on the 2nd in a call with ChosunBiz, "After we held a briefing session on the Botdeul retention basin project for residents, strong complaints were raised," adding, "We decided to halt the project for now and review it again, accepting residents' opinions." On whether the project will resume, the official noted, "It is under internal review, so it is difficult to explain in detail at this time," and added, "We will have to see how things go."
Seongnam has pursued the "Pangyo Botdeul Retention Basin waterfront digital complex development project" since Nov. 2023. The core is to maintain the detention function of the Botdeul Retention Basin while developing the upper section as a complex and building rental housing for young workers employed in Pangyo Techno Valley.
Local public opinion, however, was cold. Residents worried that shrinking the retention basin would weaken disaster-prevention functions and reduce flood response capacity. There was also criticism that reduced green space would worsen the ecological environment and that large buildings would damage the cityscape. Procedural problems were raised as well, including that residents' consent was not sought during the planning process and that traffic congestion would worsen.
Residents of Sampyeong-dong near the Botdeul Retention Basin recently issued a statement, saying, "The Botdeul Retention Basin is a core space that has preserved Pangyo citizens' pleasant environment and urban value," and, "At the time of the new town's sale, authorities said they would create a 50,000-pyeong waterfront theme park at the confluence of Geumto Stream and Unjung Stream so citizens could enjoy walking, exercise, and cultural events, but building rental housing in breach of that promise infringes on the rights of all citizens," they strongly protested.