S ․ U ․ M ․ M ․ A ․ R ․ Y
SU M M ARY
Agglomeration Problems and Policy Directions of Large-Scsale Development Projects in Capital Region
Sang Woo Park, Hyung-Seo Park, Bum Hyun Lee and Seh Il Byeon
Lots of large scale development projects including new town, residential sites, industrial and tourist parks have been carried out in Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA) for the last two decades. The number and quantity of projects have been rapidly increasing most recently. Such development projects bring about serious social problems such as an environment disruption, traffic congestion and the increase of land price in SMA.
In order to deal with these problems, it is necessary to understand the real state of problems and to prepare some proper countermeasures, and now it is time to do them. The aims of this study are divided into three parts. The first one is to examine and analyse various large scale development projects carried forward in SMA. Secondly through the examination on each development project, impact variables and factors deepening problems would be analysed and evaluated. Thirdly some policy issues would be established, and reform measures of the policy and institution for protecting the environmental aggravation of capital region would be suggested.
The case study method for analysing the situation of development
projects was used. As case regions for the study, Paju and Youngin Cities where lots of projects are performing were selected. In order to compare the two selected regions with other regions, Ilsan and Bundang New Towns were chosen. Thus the comparison will give us some suggestions to lay out the scheme for the din and bustle of SMA.
Observing the present condition of large scale development projects in SMA, most projects for developing residential sites and industrial parks are concentrated in Paju, Suwon and Youngin Cities. Paju City lies at the north of Seoul, and Suwon and Youngin Cities are situated to the south of Seoul. Especially lots of development projects have been concentrated on Youngin city, which brings about many problems concerned with the utilization of public facilities.
67 development projects have been carried out in SMA since 1984, and 44 projects are situated within 'Over Concentration Control Region' accounting on the 65% of total projects. The projects related to the housing land developments were for the most parts in 'Over Concentration Control Region'. While large scale projects at 'Growth Management Region' largely consist of industrial and tourist park developments, and any projects were not built at 'Nature Preservation Region'.
In terms of development area size, the residentail site projects carried out in SMA are focused on projects that belong to 1 million-5 million
㎡ accounting for 76% of total projects (40 projects), and the projects for tourist park also are concentrated on the small size under 1 million ㎡.
On the other hand, projects over 10 million ㎡ are only 3 sites.
Consequently small and midium size projects were mainly carried out in SMA, which could bring to the lack of high-level public services.
On the basis of the analysis about the supply of public facilities, wide differential points among the case of regions could not be found.
However, some specific wide area facilities in the regions related to the new town development are more than facilities of the regions involving
individual large scale developments, namely, the supply of roads, traffic facilities and sewage disposal plants in Bundang and Ilsan new town seems to be satisfactory in contrast to the supply of Youngin City.
In relation to educational facilities, the supply of nursery and primary school in Youngin City is more than one of Bundang New Town, but in the case of secondary school, Bundang New Town is more satisfactory than Youngin City. There is little difference between the two regions in the supply of other facilities such as cultural, athletic and public service facilities.
Impacts and problems of the accumulation of large scale development projects could be divided into positive and negative effects.
The former is concerned with the agglomeration economy effect. The enlargement of project scale could encourage the potential of economic activity, which could increase the regional economic efficiency. Also the agglomeration could lead to the introduction of high level public service facilities which could result in the improvement of wide area service.
On the other hand the accumulation of projects could bring about some negative impacts what is called diseconomy effects. The excessive accumulation of economic activities within a fixed place could lead to the hustle and bustle of the city, environmental aggravation and deterioration of living condition. The more important problems are concerned with the lack of supply necessary service facilities due to the separate supply of various service facilities. The lack of public service and facilities has an influence on the deterioration of living condition.
Present law related to large scale development projects in SMA is 'the Seoul Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act'. The purpose of this Act is to provide necessary matters concerning the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive plan for readjustment of the SMA, for the sake of appropriate redistribution of the population and industries overly concentrated in the mentioned area, and thereby, to contribute to the orderly readjustment and balanced development of the mentioned area.
Next, the analysis of agglomeration of individual development projects was executed. In order to examine the effects of individual development projects, some supply indicators of public facilities were compared between Bundang New Town and Heungduk Area in Youngin City. At first, comparing with road facilities such as trunk road, local road and street in town or area, there is little difference between the two regions. But railway has been supplied in accordance with long term transportation plan in capital region, therefore the agglomeration of development project at Youngin Region would bring about traffic problems among other regions due to the lack of railway system on time.
Secondly, there is little difference in the supply of educational, cultural and disposal facilities, but health, medical and sales facilities in Youngin City are in short supply. That is why such facilities may be supplied on the basis of the number of population to be accommodated at the developed site.
Consequently, high level services including transportation and disposal facilities of wide area public services could be in short supply, which causes residents inconvenience.
Lastly, various suggestions concerning with the improvement of policy and institution were established.
1. In order to prevent the lack of public facilities in midium size developments, it is necessary to introduce the infrastructure charge to turn over to the implementer of the project. With respect to the charge, three effects could be generated. The first one is to raise funds for the construction of infrastructure, which reduces government's financial burden. Secondly, there may be an effect to restrain midium size development projects that bring about some problems related to dwelling conditions for residents. Thirdly on the whole, the charge could improve living environment. But it is necessary to prepare criteria for the computation of infrastructure charge. They are imposition, collection, payment period and assessment of the charge.
2. Population impact evaluation being in operation has some problems. There is need to improve the system. Firstly, for a correct estimate, assessor must be the third party, not developer of the project.
Secondly, it is necessary to reduce assessor's arbitrariness in the middle of the evaluation. Thirdly, special organization to examine the result of evaluation should be established. Finally, when four evaluation systems including environmental impact evaluation might be integrated, the integrated system should succeed to the purpose of abolished evaluations.
3. Individual development projects in SMA should be enforced under the synthetic angle based on wide area plan. At the same time, it needs to consolidate the executive power for the control of wide area infrastructure.
4. It is to be desired that large-scale projects should be promoted, and small or midium scale projects should be restrained if circumstances allow. Government should give priority to the resolution of problems at the phase of construction permit and to ensure the progress of projects with ease. Considering the problems concerned with the amendment of the 'Seoul Metropolitan Area Readjustment Plan Act', two unfavourable side effects related to industrial parks have taken place, namely, problems concerning with the project scale for prior deliberation and the designation of substitute site should be solved as soon as possible.