High-Rise Apartment Construction on Bulamsan Foothills?...Strong Opposition from Nowon Residents

Nowon-gu Residents Strongly Oppose Plans to Build Residential-Commercial Complex on Former Nowon Driving School Site, Launch Petition Campaign

Residents of Nowon-gu are strongly opposing the planned construction of high-rise apartments in front of Bulamsan Butterfly Garden (photo).

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Residents have raised objections as a residential-commercial complex apartment is planned to be developed on the remaining site of the former Nowon Driving School at the foot of Bulamsan Mountain in Nowon-gu.

The Emergency Committee for the Preservation of Bulamsan’s Natural Scenery (co-chairs: Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, and resident representative Yang Su-nam) issued a statement on the 15th at Cheoljjuk Hill to prevent the destruction of the natural scenery of Bulamsan and Cheoljjuk Hill due to private development and to protect the views of nearby residents.

The statement released that day contains the residents’ voices urging the Seoul Metropolitan Government not to approve any urban planning changes that could damage the public interest protection of natural scenery extending from Bulamsan down to Cheoljjuk Hill and Healing Town, as well as the protection of residents’ views.

It also includes a resolution to conduct a signature campaign across various locations in Nowon-gu for one month starting April 16 to gather residents’ support for protecting Bulamsan and its natural scenery.

The problematic development site is the remaining land of the former Nowon Driving School. In the past, this area was a long-term source of complaints from local residents due to illegal restaurants, accumulation of garbage and waste materials, which damaged the natural environment and caused neglect.

However, Nowon-gu actively purchased the site and began an ecological rest area project for residents. In 2015, the first ecological learning center was established, followed by continuous development of a butterfly garden, Cheoljjuk Hill, a forest healing center, barrier-free circular walking trails, a children’s forest experience site, and a garden support center. Today, this area has become the beloved ‘Bulamsan Healing Town,’ frequented by residents every weekend.

Since 2019, Nowon-gu has continuously proposed to the Seoul Metropolitan Government that the remaining site be developed into an eco-friendly rest area and natural experience learning space in harmony with Healing Town.

However, after a real estate development company, the current landowner, purchased the site in 2021 and began moves earlier this year to build apartments through urban planning changes, signs of activity appeared, including visits to Nowon-gu. Representatives of nearby apartment complexes Junggye 2nd Complex (1,800 households) and Junggye 4th Complex (690 households) submitted petitions and resident complaints, including appeals, demanding active intervention from the district office to protect their views and Bulamsan’s natural scenery.

Unable to stand by any longer, the district office and residents jointly formed the Emergency Committee for the Preservation of Bulamsan’s Natural Scenery on March 25 and held an inaugural ceremony.

Nowon-gu has the highest proportion of multi-family housing (83%) among Seoul’s autonomous districts due to large-scale government-led housing developments in the late 1980s, and with the upcoming large-scale reconstruction period, the proportion of multi-family housing is expected to increase further.

In this context, if apartments are built on the remaining site, the pristine environment of Bulamsan and the carefully restored surrounding natural scenery will be damaged, and residents’ rest areas will be reduced.

Local residents express concerns, saying that all surrounding apartments in complexes 2, 4, and 5 are 15 stories high, so how can a 33-story apartment be allowed? They emphasize that the area, once full of illegal restaurants, has now become a natural scenic spot they are proud of, and that high-rise apartments would mean it would no longer be a healing town.

Accordingly, the Emergency Committee plans to actively inform residents and gather their opinions through signature campaigns and picketing to block the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s urban planning changes, which are essential for private complex development, and to deliver these opinions to the city.

The signature campaign will continue from April 16, and residents can participate every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at booths set up at Cheoljjuk Hill, Danghyeon Stream, and Gyeongchun Line, or join the online signature campaign via the link provided on the Nowon-gu Office website.

Yang Su-nam, co-chair and resident representative, said, “We will actively oppose the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s urban planning changes to prevent the destruction of Bulamsan and Cheoljjuk Hill, which are the pride of Nowon-gu, and to protect the views and public interest of nearby residents. We hope for the active interest and participation of all residents.”