Passed First Review by Sintong Planning... Redevelopment of Shinhyang Villa in Gwangjin-gu into 305 Households

Seoul City Holds First Special Subcommittee Meeting to Simplify Sintong Planning Procedures

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Shinhyang Villa in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, will be reconstructed into 305 households. This is the first case to pass the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Rapid Integrated Planning (SinTong Planning) review.

On the 7th, Seoul held the 1st Urban Planning Committee SinTong Planning Special Subcommittee and announced on the 8th that the reconstruction maintenance plan for Shinhyang Villa was approved with modifications. The SinTong Planning Special Subcommittee is a dedicated committee newly established by the city to simplify the SinTong Planning review process, and matters reviewed and resolved here have the same effect as those of the Urban Planning Committee.

Shinhyang Villa is an over 30-year-old deteriorated multi-family housing complex located in the landscape management area at the foot of Yongmasan and Achasan mountains. It has been pointed out that maintenance is urgent due to disaster risks. Although designation as a maintenance zone was pursued with resident restrictions, it was deferred at the April 2020 Urban Planning Committee review due to issues of consistency with the Junggok Station District unit plan and criticism that the uniform slab-type layout, which is discordant with the natural terrain, creates an oppressive landscape on the hillside.

Since then, residents and Seoul City prepared a new maintenance plan reflecting both public interest and business feasibility according to the SinTong Planning guidelines, and passed the review within four months of the public inspection announcement. In particular, the procedures were shortened by simultaneously proceeding with the establishment of the maintenance plan and the district unit plan before the review.

With the approval of this maintenance plan, Shinhyang Villa will be transformed into a plan harmonizing with the Yongmasan and Achasan landscapes, consisting of 305 households (including 15 public housing units) ranging from 4 to 12 floors.

The maintenance plan decided this time reflects four principles: ▲a skyline harmonious with nearby mountains, schools, and hills ▲improvement of school commuting routes and Yongmasan walking trails ▲installation of publicly accessible community facilities linked with schools ▲planning of various housing types.

First, the building heights were adjusted so as not to form an oppressive landscape when viewed from the Yongmasan walking trail at the boundary with nearby Yonggok Elementary School and the elementary school playground. The principle is to keep buildings below 8 to 9 floors, which is the elevation of Yonggok Elementary School playground, but some buildings are allowed up to 12 floors within the range that does not obstruct the secured view corridors. A pedestrian bridge and elevator connecting the school commuting route within the site were also planned, and various housing types such as terrace houses, slab-type, and tower-type were introduced considering the terrain differences.

The maintenance plan aims to complete the designation announcement of the maintenance zone within the first half of the year after re-public inspection reflecting the approved modifications.

Choi Jin-seok, Director of the Seoul City Urban Planning Bureau, said, "The SinTong Planning for Shinhyang Villa is significant in that it presented a practical alternative for improving the residential environment in low-rise residential areas where development was difficult due to landscape issues." He added, "Through SinTong Planning, we expect not only to rapidly supply quality housing but also to contribute to balanced development in underdeveloped areas such as hillsides and landscape management zones."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.