Land ministry revises rules for aging planned-city renewal

The land ministry revised implementation rules for aging planned-city renewal projects after changes to the underlying law permitted the combination of noncontiguous special maintenance planned zones.

The underlying law, promulgated Feb. 3 and effective Aug. 4, also established a legal basis for resident representative groups, preliminary project operators and an aging planned-city renewal platform. The ministry said the rule changes set out matters delegated by the amended law and needed for its implementation.

The rules introduce consent forms for landowners seeking to combine zones and for residents establishing representative groups, as well as forms to seek approval for resident representative groups and withdraw landowner consent. A person who has concluded an agreement with a resident representative group before a special maintenance zone is designated can now be named a preliminary project operator.

The revised rules also allow the renewal platform to link with an electronic information-processing system under the Building Act, the redevelopment project management system and the land information system under the Housing Site Development Promotion Act. Other information systems may be linked if the land minister determines they are needed to carry out aging planned-city renewal work.

Consents submitted under previous forms for special maintenance zone proposals and pilot-district designations will be recognized under the revised rules. Landowner consents submitted to designate preliminary project operators under a ministry notice will also be recognized. Existing forms may be used alongside revised versions for three months after the changes took effect.