Goyang City Bets on "Appropriate Floor Area Ratio" for Ilsan Reconstruction... "Top Increase Rate Among First-Generation New Towns"

Goyang City Aims for Top Residential Environment with Focus on Transportation and Education
Ilsan Reconstruction Floor Area Ratio Set at 300%
Optimal Figure Balances Business Feasibility and Comfort
City: "We Must Prepare for a Future City That Prioritizes Citizen Benefits"

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) has stated that, when considering the "standard floor area ratio"—a key indicator for the reconstruction of Ilsan New Town—attention should be paid to the actual "rate of increase" rather than simply comparing numerical values. The city plans to maintain an appropriate density that essential infrastructure such as roads, railways, and schools can support, with the goal of making Ilsan a future-oriented city with the best residential environment.

Goyang City Creates the Best Residential Environment in Transportation and Education through Appropriate Floor Area Ratio Application for Ilsan Reconstruction. Provided by Goyang Special City

Reconstruction Floor Area Ratio Increase Rate Higher in Bundang and Ilsan

According to Goyang Special City on February 3, the standard floor area ratio for the reconstruction of first-generation new towns is lowest in Ilsan New Town, but the rate of increase in floor area ratio is relatively high. The city asserts that attention should be paid to the rate of increase rather than the simple floor area ratio.

The current average floor area ratio for apartments in first-generation new towns is 172% in Ilsan, which is the lowest compared to Bundang (184%), Pyeongchon (204%), Sanbon (207%), and Jungdong (216%). Ilsan, designed as a planned city in the 1990s with the goal of creating a low-density and pleasant residential environment, has the lowest average floor area ratio among the first-generation new towns.

As a result, the standard floor area ratios for the reconstruction of first-generation new towns (aging planned cities) are set at 300% for Ilsan, 326% for Bundang, 330% each for Sanbon and Pyeongchon, and 350% for Jungdong. Again, Ilsan is the lowest and Jungdong is the highest.

However, when looking at the rate of increase, the results are different. The increase in the standard floor area ratio for apartment reconstruction compared to the current ratio is 1.74 times (172%→300%) for Ilsan, which is the second highest after Bundang at 1.77 times (184%→326%). This is followed by Pyeongchon at 1.62 times (204%→330%), Jungdong at 1.62 times (216%→350%), and Sanbon at 1.59 times (207%→330%). In fact, the rate of increase in floor area ratio is relatively higher in Bundang and Ilsan, where the current ratios are lower.

This means that the conditions for Ilsan’s reconstruction are relatively favorable compared to other first-generation new towns, and even from a conservative perspective, it is difficult to argue that Ilsan is at a disadvantage compared to other cities.

Goyang City: "Ilsan Reconstruction Floor Area Ratio Is Appropriate... Infrastructure Consideration and Long-Term Perspective Needed"

Some argue that since Ilsan’s reconstruction standard floor area ratio (300%) is the lowest among first-generation new towns, it should be raised to at least 326% like Bundang. They also claim that exceeding the standard floor area ratio to maximize the number of units for general sale will improve business feasibility and reduce residents’ cost burden.

In response, Goyang City maintains that the standard floor area ratio for the reconstruction of aging planned areas in Ilsan is appropriate compared to other cities. The city explains that focusing solely on business feasibility and applying excessive standard and maintenance floor area ratios could lead to overdevelopment, undermining the residential environment and comfort of the city.

Furthermore, as the floor area ratio increases, the population and number of households naturally increase as well, which means the need for expanding and maintaining infrastructure also grows. The responsibility for these public contributions—whether in land, in-kind, or cash—falls on the project implementers, i.e., the residents. Therefore, simply raising the floor area ratio does not automatically improve the business feasibility of the project.

The city explains that it must review the capacity of infrastructure that can be expanded by the target year and determine the average density the city can accommodate by considering the planned population and number of households. Excessive reconstruction can result in overcrowded "chicken coop" apartments, reduced residential comfort and sunlight, shortages of water and sewage, parking, roads, and schools, as well as increased environmental pollution and construction waste, causing overloads throughout the city.

In particular, transportation infrastructure such as roads and railways is the area of greatest concern. Due to the nature of private reconstruction projects, it is impossible to enforce a comprehensive overhaul of the transportation network, and there are limits to expanding the network, with regional transportation improvements taking a long time. The presence of existing commercial areas, residences, and schools also makes it difficult to expand new roads. The city warns that arguments for raising the floor area ratio without sufficient consideration for infrastructure, simply to improve business feasibility, risk damaging the city’s pleasant residential environment and future prospects.

Lee Donghwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, stated, "Reconstructing aging planned cities is a process of redesigning the entire city, so we must maintain a long-term and broad perspective. Rather than focusing only on immediate business feasibility, we must establish building plans that the city’s infrastructure—such as roads, railways, and water and sewage systems—can support. Only then can we secure a pleasant residential environment and urban competitiveness that prioritize public benefits, and move toward a livable future city."

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