Work in progress

There is no schedule yet for the presentation of conclusions of the Urban Renewal Committee to the government, according to comments by the Secretary of the Land, Public Works, and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT), Raimundo Arrais do Rosário, at the end of the Committee’s 3rd Plenary Session yesterday.
During the meeting, government representatives and the Committee’s three specialised working groups discussed aspects that cover their respective assignments: the creation of a plan for temporary housing and other measures for urban renewal; the re-utilisation of industrial buildings and ways to promote urban renewal; the mandatory percentage of consenting owners needed for reconstruction of buildings and reinforcing the financial support plan of the Building Maintenance Renovation Fund.
“The topics are complex and they require time [to be studied],” stated Secretary Rosário. “The role of the three working groups is to report in the plenary the state of affairs of the works being conducted, so that only once a conclusion is reached [can] they bring it to the plenary, after which the decision-making will follow and is then sent to the government,” Mr. Rosário explained, noting that consensus is needed for this to go forward and cannot be rushed.
Replying to Business Daily questions related to the revitalisation of industrial buildings, the Secretary said that the main concern is the ways such buildings can be renovated to serve new purposes.
“There are several industrial buildings in Areia Preta or Avenida Almirante Lacerda, and the question being raised is how to re-use these buildings, which no longer serve industrial purposes but which are not necessarily abandoned, so that they can serve other purposes,” said the Secretary.
Secretary Rosário did not rule out the possibility of re-adapting such buildings for housing use, but said that so far there is no conclusion on the matter since the attendant working group is still examining the case.
Questioned about the land plots in Wai Long, Mr. Rosário said the issue was not a topic on yesterday’s plenary session agenda.