Busan is good

First Non-Capital Region Designation of Basic Plan for Aging Planned City Renewal… Full-Scale Transition to a Busan-Style Future City Begins

내용

Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) has received approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for Phase 1 of the Basic Plan for Aging Planned City Renewal (Hwamyeong–Geumgok, Haeundae) and has officially designated it—the first such case outside the capital region—marking a full-fledged first step toward transforming Busan into a future-oriented city.

The City received approval for Phase 1 of the Basic Plan, which will drive a major transformation of residential environments in aging planned cities, on April 2, and officially designated it on April 8. As the first designation outside the capital region, this signifies that reconstruction of aging planned cities has entered full-scale implementation.

The Phase 1 areas designated this time are the Hwamyeong–Geumgok district and the Haeundae district.

First, the Hwamyeong–Geumgok district covers 2.71 million square meters in Hwamyeong-dong and Geumgok-dong, Buk-gu. Under the vision of “Hwamyeong–Geumgok, a humane city embracing forests and rivers,” the plan focuses on realizing a 15-minute living zone by expanding social infrastructure (SOC) centered on transit-oriented areas, and creating a three-dimensional green-blue network connecting mountains and rivers east to west. In particular, under the Special Act on the Maintenance and Support of Aging Planned Cities, the standard floor area ratio has been increased from 232% to 350% (340% for second-class general residential areas and 370% for third-class general residential areas), while the planned population has increased by 22,000, from 75,000 to 97,000.

The Haeundae district covers 3.05 million square meters in Jwa-dong and Jung-dong, Haeundae-gu. Under the vision of “Haeundae Green City: Opening a New Future City Together with Residents,” the plan includes expanding complex community facilities and social infrastructure (SOC) along a future city vitality axis connecting Shin-Haeundae Station to Haeundae Beach; introducing autonomous buses linked to this axis; and establishing a pedestrian-friendly green space system through a circular green axis and north–south park axis connectivity. The standard floor area ratio has also been increased from 250% to 360% under the Special Act, and the planned population has risen by 28,000, from 84,000 to 112,000.

To prevent delays in administrative procedures and accelerate project implementation, the City plans to fully operate a tailored administrative system for each stage of the aging planned city renewal project.

First, a Special Maintenance Plan Advisory Committee—comprising experts in various fields and relevant institutions—will be organized and operated as a cooperative support body. Through pre-consultations from the early stages of plan formulation, a fast-track administrative system will be fully implemented to enhance the consistency and feasibility of plans.

In addition, to proactively address issues such as school capacity resulting from large-scale development, a Housing Supply and Education Environment Consultative Body will be established. Busan Metropolitan City, the Office of Education, district education offices, and district and county governments will jointly participate to discuss and coordinate anticipated education-related issues in advance, thereby creating a model case in which urban development and the educational environment progress together.

Furthermore, a Resident Consultative Group for Special Maintenance Plans will be formed and operated to implement a one-stop, closely integrated administrative system that links public opinion gathering, conflict mediation, preliminary consultation, and project consulting from the draft planning stage. This will establish a foundation for implementation through communication among residents, the administration, and experts.

Moreover, the Busan-area Future City Support Center will be established within April at the Hwamyeong 3-dong Community Center to provide dedicated consultations and customized consulting services more closely to citizens.

The City also plans to actively advance the formulation of basic plans for Phase 2 target areas—Dadae, Mandeok, Mora, and Gaegum–Danggam—with the goal of designation by the end of 2026.

The Phase 2 areas consist of four districts totaling approximately 4 million square meters. Based on current status surveys and regional condition analyses, the City is preparing basic plans that include infrastructure improvement and phased implementation strategies.

In March, briefing sessions for residents in the Phase 2 areas were held, and resident consulting will continue through June. Following this, administrative procedures such as public inspection and consultations with relevant institutions will be carried out, with the aim of official designation within the year.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “The approval and designation of the Phase 1 basic plan is significant in that Busan’s aging planned city renewal has moved beyond the planning stage into full-scale implementation.” He added, “We will continue to closely communicate with residents, enhance the execution capacity of renewal projects, and transform aging planned cities into future cities to create new urban vitality for Busan.”