"Building Multi-family Houses and Villas Taller"… Seoul City Announces 42 Cases of Regulation Removal and Improvement

Small-scale buildings such as multi-family houses and villas built in Type 2 and Type 3 general residential areas will be allowed to be constructed approximately one floor higher. As Seoul City seeks improvement measures to revitalize the construction industry, a total of 34 regulations have entered the process of being abolished about two months after the launch of the Construction Industry Regulation Abolition Task Force (TF).

On the 25th, Seoul City held the 'Construction Industry Regulation Abolition TF Performance Report Meeting' and announced 42 cases of regulation abolition and improvement plans to revitalize the construction industry. Previously, starting from the 6th of last month, the TF presented a total of 14 cases (13 regulation abolition plans and 1 support plan), and in this announcement, 21 abolition plans and 7 support plans were newly added.

Provided by Seoul City

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Among the regulation abolition plans announced by the city on this day, 16 cases focused on activating private construction investment. By sector, these include △abolition of conventional land regulations (4 cases) △adjustment of public contribution burdens (4 cases) △reduction of delays in private construction review and permits △improvement of unreasonable housing construction regulations (3 cases).

First, through Regulation Abolition Plan No. 33, the city decided to relax the floor area ratio for small-scale buildings constructed under the Building Act in Type 2 and Type 3 general residential areas. It reflected the fact that small-scale buildings in these areas have been subject to stricter ordinances than laws, restricting private sector construction investment. Accordingly, the floor area ratio in Type 2 general residential areas will be relaxed from the existing 200% to 250%, and in Type 3 general residential areas from 250% to 300%, for a period of three years.

For example, assuming a building coverage ratio of 60%, in Type 2 general residential areas, buildings that were previously 3 to 4 stories high can now be built up to 4 to 5 stories. In Type 3 general residential areas, based on a building coverage ratio of 50%, the height limit previously restricted to 4 to 5 stories can be increased to 5 to 6 stories.

Regulation Abolition Plan No. 34 includes improvement measures for the designation criteria of Biotope Grade 1 land. When calculating biotope boundaries and grades, the city plans to consider site formation and cadastral boundaries to minimize property damage to citizens.

To adjust the burden of public contributions, the floor area ratio, public contributions, and residential ratios in redevelopment promotion projects will also be relaxed. To improve delays in private construction reviews and permits, the processing period for traffic impact assessments will be shortened, and the exemption criteria for small and medium-sized building reviews will be eased. Support plans to revitalize the maintenance of old and low-rise residential areas were also announced to improve housing construction regulations.

Measures to improve practices to ease the financial burden on the construction industry were also prepared. The city considered that construction costs have been set without reflecting the characteristics of urban construction, increasing the financial burden on the construction industry. It also focused on the inconveniences experienced by construction sites due to overlapping inspections by multiple agencies.

By sector, these include △payment of appropriate construction fees considering rapid increases in cost rates (5 cases) △improvement of contract and construction management practices (5 cases, 1 support case). First, to ensure appropriate construction costs, guidelines for construction costs by type will be prepared, and appropriate construction costs and construction periods will be managed. Unreasonable practices related to contracts and construction management, such as large-scale construction bidding notices, will be eliminated. The criteria for assigning quality managers at construction sites will also be rationalized.

Furthermore, existing administrative regulations will be revised to revitalize the construction industry. By sector, these include △rapid execution of construction budgets and discovery of new projects (2 support cases) △administrative regulation innovation (8 regulation abolition cases, 5 support cases).

First, a plan was prepared to execute budgets early for SOC (social overhead capital) projects, including private investment projects. Additionally, abolition plans such as the previously announced conflict resolution in maintenance projects and the abolition of the '50% direct construction obligation for construction work' were also newly prepared.

A Seoul City official stated, "We expect that the abolition of regulations to revitalize construction investment will enable the industry to improve business feasibility and actively promote projects," adding, "Simplifying unnecessary administrative tasks to reduce the workload on the industry will also lead to strengthening the stability of the construction industry and improving quality."

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