Seongap Kim, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, 'Persistence' Will the Highest Altitude Zone Around Children's Grand Park Be Lifted?

First Official Urban Management Plan Change Procedure in 25 Years Since 1996 Designation of Maximum Height Zone... Draft Decision to Abolish Maximum Height Zone Open for Resident Review and Comments from April 15 to 29

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Seon-gap) is officially initiating the urban management plan abolition procedure for the maximum height district around Children’s Grand Park for the first time in 25 years.

Accordingly, the “Decision to Abolish the Maximum Height District around Children’s Grand Park” will be announced on April 15, with public viewing and opinion collection from residents until the 29th.

The target area for the maximum height district abolition is 219,000㎡ around Neung-dong and Guui-dong near Children’s Grand Park.

Although this area is located near Gwangjin-gu’s key station areas including Children’s Grand Park, Gunja Station, Achasan Station, and along Cheonho-daero, it is the only one among Seoul’s ten major flatland parks such as Seoul Forest, Boramae, and World Cup Park that is managed as a maximum height district.

As a result, building heights are restricted to 16m or less, and within 30m of the Children’s Grand Park boundary, the limit is 13m or less, causing increased inconvenience to residents due to building restrictions and infringement on property rights, acting as a factor hindering regional development.

Since its designation as a maximum height district in 1996, the district has continuously consulted with Seoul City, the decision-making authority for urban management plans, but Seoul City, which oversees 25 autonomous districts, has maintained a conservative stance until now.

However, under the Act on the Planning and Use of National Land, Gwangjin-gu, which has the authority to initiate urban management plans, has decided to proceed with official procedures to abolish the maximum height district around Children’s Grand Park for the first time in 25 years, judging that a realistic urban plan considering changing conditions and regional characteristics is necessary.

Kim Seon-gap, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “It is unreasonable that among the many large parks in Seoul, only Children’s Grand Park located in the heart of the city is subject to height restrictions,” adding, “A reasonable urban plan that minimizes resident inconvenience such as property rights infringement should be established through this abolition.”

He continued, “We will closely cooperate with Seoul City to ensure that Children’s Grand Park no longer acts as a factor hindering regional development.”

Additionally, the district plans to promote the establishment of the “Cheonho-daero South Side District Unit Plan” to induce planned development reflecting the regional characteristics of the Children’s Grand Park area and to establish a customized local management plan.