The government has launched the first review of Macau’s urban master plan, which came into force in February 2022, for possible amendments, in the wake of its ongoing planning of four future large-scale projects aiming to inject new impetus into Macau’s long-term development, which were first announced by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai in his 2025 Policy Address, which he delivered in April this year.
The Lands and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU), the public entity tasked with the city’s urban planning, hired a consultancy to draft a report reviewing Macau’s official urban master plan, which was presented during a regular meeting of the Urban Planning Council (CPU) yesterday.
The meeting was open to the media. The government-appointed council is a consultative body tasked with advising the government on its urban planning policies.
The Macau Special Administrative Region’s (MSAR) urban master plan for 2020 to 2040 is the city’s first-ever official urban master plan, which took effect on February 15, 2022 after its promulgation in the Official Gazette (BO) on the previous day.
Macau’s urban master plan is promulgated by an administrative regulation drawn up by the government because of which it does not require the legislature’s approval.
The four future large-scale projects comprise the Macau International Integrated Tourism and Cultural Zone, the Macau Science and Technology Research and Development Industrial Park, the Macau International Aviation Hub for the Pearl River West Bank, and the Macau-Hengqin International University City.
Yesterday’s meeting was chaired by DSSCU Director Lai Weng Leong, where he pointed out that according to the Urban Planning Law, the government is required to launch its review of the urban master plan for possible amendments five years after it came into force, i.e., in 2027.
Lai noted that according to the law, the government is also required to launch its review of the urban master plan if the government decides to launch large-scale public projects which are expected to cause significant impacts on land uses and urban planning listed by the urban master plan, regardless of the length for which the urban master plan has been implemented.
Lai noted that as three of the four future large-scale projects will be located in Macau, they will be covered by the MSAR’s urban master plan, namely the Macau International Integrated Tourism and Cultural Zone, the Macau Science and Technology Research and Development Industrial Park, and the Macau International Aviation Hub for the Pearl River West Bank.
Lai said that with the government’s launch of the planning of the large-scale projects, it decided in July this year to review its urban master plan.
The Macau-Hengqin International University City project is not included in the local government’s review of its urban master plan. In addition, the ongoing Macau International Airport Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal project, one of the components of the planned Macau International Aviation Hub for the Pearl River West Bank, is also not included in the review as the terminal will be located in Hengqin.
Lai noted that according to the Urban Planning Law and its supplementary regulations, the government will decide whether to amend the urban master plan after assessing the review report drafted by the consultancy and the opinions gathered from the Urban Planning Council.
This photo taken from Taipa island earlier this year shows the Macau peninsula’s skyline. – Photo: Tony Wong
Lands and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU) Director Lai Weng Leong (centre) chairs yesterday’s meeting of the Urban Planning Council (CPU). – Photo: CPU
