93-meter tall commercial building project approved

Plans for a project to construct a 93-metre tall office and commercial building – complete with underground parking lot – directly next to Emperor Hotel were passed yesterday by the Urban Planning Department in its third plenary meeting of 2016.
The representative of the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) said the building project still needed to pass a public opinion study before final approval. Of the total 20 projects under discussion eight related to cultural heritage sites, including reconstruction of a century-old school in front of the St. Lawrence Church, which despite the project reputedly being eight years under study still requires further consultation.
Also requiring further consultation was a project concerning three 60-metre tall towers next to Macau Forum. The building project wasn’t approved due to traffic concerns involving tourist buses visiting the Golden Lotus square.
In Coloane, a 3,665 square metre plot next to Hellene Gardens was approved for ‘police installations’, later clarified as facilities to house ‘over 100’ police dogs and related equipment. Another project, concerning a 980 square metre plot supporting a large white house on Travessa da República in Coloane Village was approved to revert to the government for ‘public use to be integrated into the public domain’ of the SAR. According to the report, the property is not currently under rental or ownership contract.