Seongnam City to Raise Redevelopment and Reconstruction FAR for Reducing Inter-Floor Noise and Expanding Green Spaces

New 3% FAR Incentive Provisions Introduced
Parking Lot Standards Also Adjusted to Reflect Realities

Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor: Shin Sangjin) has recently introduced new floor area ratio (FAR) incentive items through a revision of its public notice, expanding benefits for redevelopment and reconstruction projects that make substantial contributions to improving residential environments.

Seongnam City Hall exterior. Provided by Seongnam City

This revision, confirmed in accordance with the amended "2030 Seongnam City Urban and Residential Environment Maintenance Master Plan," was designed to resolve operational difficulties raised at redevelopment sites and to bring about tangible improvements in residential environments that residents can experience.

Until now, Seongnam City has allowed a maximum FAR of 280% for redevelopment and reconstruction projects. However, some incentive items required exceeding legal standards to receive benefits, leading to criticism that residents and project implementers found it difficult to perceive these advantages.

In response, Seongnam City has adjusted the criteria for FAR incentives by reflecting feedback from the field and revised the system to ensure these incentives lead to improvements in the residential environment. The latest revision introduces new incentive provisions aimed at addressing issues closely related to residents' daily lives, such as inter-floor noise and the shortage of green spaces in the city’s original downtown areas.

Going forward, when constructing apartment complexes, projects that design floor thicknesses of 250 mm or more, or secure a floor impact sound insulation performance of Grade 2 or higher, will be eligible for a 3% FAR incentive. This measure is intended to reduce the inconvenience caused by inter-floor noise, a recurring issue in apartment living. Additionally, if parks or green spaces are created at least 10% larger than the legal requirement, a further 3% FAR incentive will be granted, encouraging the expansion of green spaces and the creation of a pleasant residential environment in areas where such spaces are lacking.

Alongside these changes, the criteria for parking lot incentives have also been relaxed to better reflect current realities. Previously, stepwise incentives were available only if the number of parking spaces exceeded the legal requirement by 20% to 40%. Now, the threshold has been eased to 10% to 30% above the legal standard, reducing the burden on residents and project implementers, and offering up to a 3% FAR incentive.

A Seongnam City official stated, "The introduction of new incentives and the relaxation of standards have lowered institutional barriers in the field by reflecting residents' opinions. We expect these measures to enhance the effectiveness of residential environment improvements, such as reducing inter-floor noise and expanding green spaces, thereby contributing to the creation of more livable residential complexes."