Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin is expected to boost redevelopment in the city’s downtown by relaxing floor area ratio standards for mixed-use buildings in commercial zones, allowing for a higher residential ratio.
This initiative aims to enhance the feasibility of ongoing urban renewal projects and increase housing supply while addressing the issue of excessive commercial space that has led to vacancies.
Previously, Seongnam had gradually reduced the allowable floor area ratio as the residential floor area ratio in mixed-use buildings increased. However, with rising residential demand around transit hubs and increasing vacancies in commercial properties, Mayor Shin emphasized the need to adjust these standards to better reflect current realities.
As a result, redevelopment projects in general commercial areas can now apply a maximum floor area ratio of 500% if the residential floor area ratio is increased from the previous 60% to 80%. Additionally, non-redevelopment mixed-use buildings can also apply a maximum floor area ratio of 450% with an 80% residential floor area ratio.
Mayor Shin envisions that this regulatory change will simultaneously expand housing supply and improve the feasibility of downtown redevelopment projects. He particularly anticipates that the ongoing urban environment improvement project in the Jung-2 district will benefit from the increased residential ratio.
Shin believes that relaxing the floor area ratio standards will help reduce the oversupply of commercial facilities in areas with low demand while increasing the necessary housing supply and enhancing land use efficiency.
Local residents and business owners express hope for the redevelopment and increased housing supply but also stress the need to consider traffic, parking, and changes to existing commercial districts due to the increased residential ratio.
Mayor Shin Sang-jin stated, “We aim to rationally improve land use standards in commercial areas to reflect changing urban conditions and housing demand.” He added, “We will continue to develop reasonable urban planning systems that consider local characteristics and citizens’ property rights.”
In the future, Mayor Shin plans to comprehensively consider local characteristics, housing demand, and commercial conditions to rationally improve urban planning standards.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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