Macau | Proposal to revitalise shipyards in Lai Chi Wun positive but “What is the plan?” – Association head

Macau (MNA) – The classification procedure for the shipyards in the Lai Chi Wun area in Coloane lack specifics on the actual plans devised by the Macau SAR Government for revitalising the site.

Speaking to MNA on Monday, the President of Lai Chi Wun Villagers Association, David Pinto Marques, said that the central question of revitalisation raised in the public consultation document disclosed today does not specify concrete ways being mulled by the government to revitalise the area.

“They say they will revitalise the shipyards, but what is the actual plan?” queried the president.

Mr. Pinto Marques pointed out, nevertheless, that the text is fairly satisfactory in that it includes historical aspects of the site which are relevant, while invoking previous opinions and reports developed by the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) and the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC).

Another positive aspect of the document according to him concerns the questionnaire it addressed to the public, which is “not leaning.”

Mr. Pinto Marques argues, however, that giving an opinion without having access to a concrete plan is like “signing a blank cheque.”

He expects, therefore, that a plan could emerge from the consultation, which is being held for a period of 60 days, until March 22, 2018.

Following an initial approach to the villagers this morning, a representative of the association cited by Mr. Pinto Marques said that the residents of the area are happy with the current development, while preferring more art and culture-related projects be integrated into the site in future.

The president of the association also told MNA that he would hope the site be eventually listed as heritage, following its recent definition as a provisional protection zone and the attendant classification procedure.

“The trends look that way and I would hope it could happen,” he said.

The possibility of listing the shipyards as a heritage site is raised in the third and final question of the form integrating the public consultation document.

The second topic of the questionnaire, broken down into three questions, concerns the conditions under which the shipyards should be included on the list of classified properties of the Macau SAR, addressing the revitalisation process proper that Mr. Pinto Marques referred to as being slightly problematic.

Essentially, they ask the public if the shipyards should be revitalised, if revitalisation should consider the site’s characteristics, historic details and surrounding landscape, and if both the structural and historic value of the original external image of the shipyards should be preserved regardless of the reconstruction and revitalisation projects entailed – while also considering public safety conditions involving the structures.

The opening question of the survey enquires of the public if they agree with the ‘legitimacy of values’ that have been identified in the document – such as the link the shipyards maintain with the water and the hill, the art of shipbuilding, and the morphology and ways of life of the surrounding village of Lai Chi Wun.

The IC has previously claimed that it expects to complete the classification procedure of the shipyards in December 2018.

While the Bureau has not advanced any particulars on the plans for the area, MNA reported on January 18 that CAA City Planing & Engineering Consultants Limited, a company chaired by José Chui Sai Peng, a local legislator, has been awarded a contract to develop the plan for Rua dos Navegantes and bordering area of Lai Chi Wun – to be concluded in the second quarter of 2018.