Height Restrictions Dropped on 12 Rangoon High-Rise Projects

By Kyaw Phyo Tha 22 August 2016

RANGOON — Twelve high-rise construction projects under suspension for months have been given the green light to resume from the Rangoon Division Chief Minister, after developers petitioned the government.

Than Htay, head of the Building Department at the Yangon City Development Committee—Rangoon’s municipal authority—told The Irrawaddy that the resumption of all twelve high rise projects was approved on Saturday, after the developers pledged to Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein that they would follow all regulations and guidelines.

Orders for height reductions have been lifted, according to Than Htay, who wouldn’t elaborate on the promises that were made.

Since May, the Rangoon Division government has suspended more than 200 high rise construction projects in the city because they were not in line with urban planning standards, following the recommendations of its own high-rise review committee.

The divisional government ordered that the intended heights of 12 buildings under construction be reduced, that planned parking facilities be upgraded, and that safety standards be improved.
Thiha Zaw, the developer behind The Illustra Pho Sein, one of the 12 suspended projects, told The Irrawaddy that he received the go-ahead on Monday to resume construction of his planned 31-story building, despite an earlier government order that its intended height be reduced to 19.

“At the time my project first received permission, there were no height restrictions. Now it has been re-approved, on the condition that we follow the rules and regulations—which we do eagerly,” Thiha Zaw said.