Gwangju City to Promote Establishment of 2040 Urban Master Plan

Gwangju City Hall

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City is establishing the ‘2040 Gwangju Urban Master Plan’ to prepare for urban changes 20 years from now.

According to Gwangju City on the 22nd, the Urban Master Plan is a statutory plan formulated under the ‘National Land Planning and Utilization Act’ as a 20-year long-term vision. It is the highest-level urban plan with policy and strategic characteristics, serving as the foundation for Gwangju’s policies on land use, development, and conservation.

The newly established Urban Master Plan is linked with the national plan following the confirmation of the 5th National Comprehensive Plan promoted by the government last year. It aims to build a new urban management plan model to solve future urban issues such as aging, deterioration, and climate change, and to systematically prepare for future urban changes in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). The plan will commence next month and continue through next year.

The main contents include identifying problems and alternatives through evaluation of the existing ‘2030 Gwangju Urban Master Plan,’ establishing an action plan reflecting the policy directions of the 5th National Comprehensive Plan, envisioning long-term development directions through predictions of future changes in Gwangju and surrounding cities, setting the 2040 Gwangju future vision, and plans by sector such as national land, housing, transportation, culture, environment, and living zones.

Additionally, the plan will prepare visions and strategies to resolve current issues such as regional imbalances and indiscriminate development caused during urban planning and development processes, and to improve citizens’ quality of life.

To this end, the city will conduct basic surveys through various methods including field investigations and big data analysis. In particular, to actively involve citizens, experts, and autonomous districts, the city will organize and operate a citizen planning group and expert advisory group, and hold meetings by autonomous districts to actively reflect citizens’ opinions.

Kim Nam-gyun, head of the city’s Urban Planning Division, said, “The ‘2040 Gwangju Urban Master Plan’ will move away from an administrative plan led by public institutions and experts, and become a plan of ‘participation and communication’ that reflects the voices of citizens and works together with them.”