Project Cost of 546.8 Billion Won...
6,000 Residential Units to Be Built by 2027
Rising Expectations for Entry of Foreign Warehouse-Style Discount Store
Location map of Sunwol High Park Complex in Sunwol District, Suncheon City. Provided by Joongheung Group
Expectations are rising in the local community as the revised development plan for the Sunwol District, a large-scale residential land development project in Suncheon City, South Jeolla Province, has received final approval.
The revised plan, which passed the review of the Economic Free Zone Planning Division of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, contains significant changes from the original plan. The project period, initially scheduled to end in 2025, has been extended by two years to 2027. The project budget has also been significantly increased from 366.5 billion won to 546.8 billion won due to changes in material costs and price fluctuations.
Particularly noteworthy are the changes in residential scale and the potential entry of a foreign warehouse-style discount store. The number of residential units has been increased from 5,395 to 6,000, and the construction blocks have been changed to four high-rise blocks.
There are also notable changes to the land designated for distribution facilities within the region. Instead of the originally planned neighborhood living facilities and single-family home blocks, the plan now includes one block for a market and one block for a gas station. Educational facilities have also been adjusted: instead of two elementary schools, one middle and high school, and two kindergartens, the new plan includes one elementary school, one elementary or middle school, one middle and high school, and one kindergarten.
Reflecting citizens' demands for warehouse-style large discount stores, which are currently absent in the Gwangju and South Jeolla regions, expectations are growing for the entry of a foreign discount store. Unlike the past, when plans for such a store in the Shindae District were scrapped due to opposition from small business owners, the process is expected to proceed smoothly this time.
The sewage treatment facility will also be expanded. Its capacity will increase from 5,042 square meters per day to 7,000 square meters, with plans to integrate it with the Suncheon City Public Sewage Treatment Plant.
An official from the Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone Authority stated on the 22nd, "After gathering opinions from the project implementer and related agencies, we applied for a review of the changes to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, reflecting the action plan, and the plan was approved as originally proposed."
Meanwhile, the Sunwol High Park Complex in Sunwol District, Suncheon City, is being developed on a 0.96-square-kilometer (approximately 290,000-pyeong) site in Seonwol-ri, Haeryong-myeon, Suncheon City, which was designated as part of the Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone in October 2003. The planned population is 16,200 people.
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