Jangchung-dong Area to Ease Height and Coverage Limits, Encouraging Private Development

Height Limit Eased to 50 Meters
Commercial Area FAR Raised to 600%
Maximum Development Scale Restrictions Fully Abolished

The Jangchung-dong area in Seoul is expected to allow for more flexible private development due to the easing of height restrictions and an increase in floor area ratio (FAR).

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 24th that it had approved, with modifications, the district unit plan and its changes for the Jangchung-dong area at the 13th Urban and Architectural Joint Committee meeting.

Location map of Jangchungdong area. Provided by Seoul City.

The targeted area is located near Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station and Dongdaemun Station, offering convenient access to public transportation and proximity to various cultural and park facilities such as DDP and Jangchungdan Park. The area is also home to a vibrant commercial district with a concentration of hotels, traditional markets, and restaurants, while low-rise residential neighborhoods are mixed in the backstreets.

This change to the district unit plan was initiated to encourage flexible private development in the Jangchung-dong area and to improve the aging low-rise residential neighborhoods and their living environment. The policy decision made by the city in 2019 to relax height restrictions in height districts and to reform the FAR system has been reflected in this plan.

As a result, the height limit for buildings within the area will be raised from the current 30 meters to 50 meters. A new incentive system has been introduced to further relax the maximum height limit for designated zones, provided that public benefits are secured and the relaxation is linked to city policies.

Additionally, reflecting last year's reform of the district unit plan FAR system, the permitted FAR for each zoning category has been raised to 1.1 times the standard FAR. In the case of general commercial areas, the standard FAR has been increased from 500% to 600%, significantly improving development conditions.

The maximum development scale restriction will be completely abolished, and for the area around Gwanghuimun, which is subject to cultural heritage view protection, the building coverage ratio will be relaxed from the current 60% to up to 80%.

The city plans to actively promote flexible development by easing regulations. For the area west of Jangchungdan-ro, where small, aging houses are concentrated, a special planning zone has been designated to allow for large-scale redevelopment. In addition, the city has proposed a development direction that includes public-oriented improvement measures such as creating a green axis connecting DDP to Jangchungdan Park and widening narrow backstreets.

Cho Namjun, head of the Urban Space Headquarters at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, "With this change to the district unit plan for the Jangchung-dong area, the conditions for development will improve, and more flexible private development is expected to be activated." He added, "Through this, we expect to create a more pleasant residential environment in aging neighborhoods and further strengthen the area's competitiveness."