The Macao SAR Government has announced a new urban planning amendment draft which mentions that the structural layout of Macau will be modified to include the designation of core areas for diversified industrial development. It also predicts that Macau’s population will reach 783,000 by 2040.
The Macau Urban Master Plan (2020-2040) came into effect in February 2022, but this plan belonged to the previous term of government. The current government has made amendments to the plan and launched a public consultation on the relevant amendments on Monday.
The draft mentions that several existing plots of land in Macau will be designated as diversified industrial zones. This includes zoning the Macau International Integrated Tourism and Culture Zone and the Macau Science and Technology Research and Development Industrial Park. The Macau Airport area has also had its latest boundaries drawn due to the airport expansion plan.
As for the tourism and entertainment zones, which include casinos and resorts, there is no major change compared to the version announced in 2022, accounting for approximately 13.3% of Macau’s current total urban structural area. However, the draft stipulates that there must be no industrial land within the tourism and entertainment zones to avoid the impact of industrial activities on tourism, leisure and entertainment activities. This is seen as helping create a more attractive tourism and entertainment zone.
The draft also points out that the Outer Harbour area (ZAPE) and the Cotai area will continue to develop as clusters for tourism and entertainment facilities so as to strengthen Macau’s urban development positioning as a “World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.”
One of the key points mentioned in the draft is its population projection. The draft states that, in response to Macau’s 2023 population projection report, the population projection for 2040 is approximately 783,000 people. In addition, the draft predicts that by 2040, Macau’s total land area will be approximately 36.96 square kilometers – increased from 34.85 square kilometers currently.
