Infrastructure / Housing

The rapid development of Macao has brought new challenges. The urban planning strategy should set better conditions for balanced and sustainable development of the city, and for a higher standard of living. In recent years, the Central People’s Government has suggested a new vision for Macao’s urban development and regional planning framework – including through approval of reclamation and development of new urban districts and the positioning of Macao as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. These new strategies will stimulate Macao’s development.

Large-scale Infrastructure

Island Health Care Complex

The Island Health Care Complex is located in the area adjacent to the Estrada do Istmo, Cotai, on a plot of land of about 77,000 m². The development consists of seven buildings, and the road networks, squares, viaducts, pedestrian overpasses and supporting infrastructure within the plot of land. The project has a gross building area of about 421,000.00 m² and will be built in two phases. The first phase includes the construction of the Nursing Institute, Residential Workers Building, General Hospital Building, Logistic Support Building, Comprehensive Administration Building and the Central Lab Building. The Rehabilitation Hospital will be part of the second phase of the construction.

The progress of the project is shown as follows:

• Nursing Institute: completed in October 2019.
• General Hospital Building, Logistic Support Building and Comprehensive Administration Building: commenced in October 2019, underground excavation and foundation pit support in progress, expected to be completed in 2022.
• Residential Workers Building: commenced in December 2019, underground excavation and foundation pit support in progress, expected to be completed in 2022.
• Central Lab Building: commenced in August 2019, underground excavation and foundation pit support in progress, expected to be completed in 2023.

The Fourth Cross-sea Bridge between Macao and Taipa

The starting point of the fourth cross-sea bridge between Macao and Taipa will be located on the east side of Zone A of the Macao New Urban Zone and connected with the artificial island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Macao port, crossing over the outer waterways towards the inner waterways, and arriving at Zone E1 of the Macao New Urban Zone, with a fly-over for direct connection to the Taipa Grande Hill Tunnel. The main line of the bridge is about 3.1 kilometers long, with a section over the sea about 2.9 kilometers long and two bridges over waterways spanning a distance of 280 meters. The main road consists of eight lanes in both directions, with the two central lanes reserved as a special lane for mopeds and motorcycles. Wind protection barriers will be installed within the bridge's main line area so that the wind speed on the bridge deck will not exceed the wind speed on its landing points, and that the corresponding wind speed will be less than the typhoon in the event of Typhoon Signal No. 8, simulating the driving environment on land areas.

In 2016, the construction feasibility study on the project, specialized studies on flood prevention issues and the navigability debate of the bridge were completed and submitted for consideration and approval by the Central Government. Upon receiving the response with approval and opinions in July 2017, further complementary debate on maritime safety was conducted. The project was finally approved in March 2018. Based on the opinions and requests, the preliminary design work was completed in July 2018. On February 28, the first stage of the bidding process for the pre-qualification of the “Fourth Cross-sea Bridge Design and Construction Project” was launched. The qualified and invited bidders submitted the second-stage tender bids by August 1, 2019. Tender and contract was awarded and inked in the fourth quarter of 2019, and was commenced on 26 March 2020.

In the second half of 2022, the project is in structural construction. The construction of reinforced concrete and steel box girders for the land portion of the mainline bridge and ramps A, B, C, F and G has been completed. As for the offshore portion, the foundation of main bridge piles has been laid, and the cushion cap is in construction. Meanwhile, the 2200-ton floating crane specially made for the hoisting of the offshore steel box girders of the fourth Macao-Taipa Bridge had arrived and the girders have been hoisted, laying a solid foundation for the hoisting of the rest girders. In addition, the three Mainland steel box girder manufacturers have stepped up the processing and fabrication of components, with a completion rate of nearly 30%. The finish components have been delivered to the construction site for hoisting.

The East Line of Light Rapid Transit System (LRT)

The East Line is expected to have a total length of about 7.7 km. The north part of the East Line is set to run from the neighboring area of Border Gate and passing through the New Urban Zone A and E and eventually connects with the existing Taipa Line. The East Line mainly consist of tunneling shield, some parts are built with cut-and-cover tunnel and elevated bridge. The East Line has 6 stations, all of which are underground. Two of them are located in the beach improvement area off Avenida Norte do Hipodromo and Avenida da Ponte da Amizade, three in the Central Green Corridor of Zone A in New Town, and one in Zone E of New Town.

The preliminary design of “The East Line Project” has been completed and the construction design of the beach area underway is expected to be completed in Q3 of 2022. Tendering for project management services and tender documentation for the East Line are also underway, with construction works expected to be tendered in Q3 of 2022.

Housing

Housing Bureau

The main functions of the Housing Bureau are to ensure the execution of public housing policies, projects and work, to provide assistance and support to management of common areas in buildings, to monitor the real estate agency business and to issue licences according to the law.

Public Housing

Public housing aims to assist residents of weak financial standing to solve their problems in housing in Macao. The distributing and management of public housing is governed by Law No 17/2019 and By-Law No 30/2020.

Public housing is distributed to families or individuals of Macao and of weak financial standing in the form of leasing. Families or individuals of weak financial standing are defined as those whose household income falls beneath the legally stipulated level appointed by the Chief Executive.

Home Ownership Scheme Housing

Under Law No. 10/2011 - “The Home-Ownership Scheme Housing Law” amended by Law No. 13/2020, the construction of Home-Ownership Scheme Housing is led by the Government and executed by the Housing Bureau or other public authorities appointed by the Chief Executive.

The rationale for building Home-Ownership Scheme Housing is: 1. To assist Macao residents of a particular income level and financial situation to meet their housing needs; 2. to promote housing supply that suits the practical needs and purchasing power of Macao residents.

Building Management

The Housing Bureau exercises its supervisory power under Decree-Law No. 41/95/M dated 21 August to manage the common areas of economic housing, and to require relevant parties to fulfil their obligations stipulated in the applicable laws and regulations. The Housing Bureau may impose fines on management entities or strata-title building owners who violate their obligations as stipulated in the Decree-Law, and provide technical assistance for the establishment of management organs and the management of such housing’s common areas. The Housing Bureau also assists owners of Home-Ownership Scheme Housing units with the setting up of management authorities and provides technical resolution of disputes involving building management.

The Housing Bureau also keeps abreast of all necessary renovation and improvement works for public housing. In addition to the public facilities of housing estates, it strives to improve indoor facilities in order to improve the living conditions of its tenants, particularly for the elderly living alone.

According to Law No. 12/2017, all business owners of condominiums management must hold a valid license to engage in concerned business. The IH is responsible for the concession of business activity licenses for the administration of condominiums and for the supervision of their activity.

Building Maintenance Fund Schemes

The Macao government integrate the “Building Maintenance Fund Schemes”, encourage and help homeowners to perform their duties regarding the maintenance of common building areas and facilities in residential, commercial-residential and industrial buildings in 2021.

Launch Year	Name of Scheme
2008	Subsidy Scheme for Building Maintenance
2021	Interest-free Loan Scheme for Building Maintenance
2021	Subsidy Scheme for Common Parts Inspection of Buildings
2021	Subsidy Scheme for Common Parts Maintenance of P and M Class Buildings

Joint Centre for Building Leakage Issues

The Joint Centre for Building Leakage Issues - co-ordinated by the Housing Bureau and formed by the Land and Urban Construction Bureau, Municipal Affairs Bureau, Legal Affairs Bureau and Health Bureau - was established to provide a one-stop service for handling the issues of building leakage in tandem with the technical assessments conducted by the Civil Engineering Laboratory.

Real Estate Intermediary Service

Real estate intermediary and agent must obtain licences in regards to the Law on Real Estate Intermediary Activities. The Housing Bureau is responsible for handling the real estate intermediary service, licence application and supervision work related to intermediary and agent.