China bans tallest skyscrapers after safety concerns

Beijing

CHINA is prohibiting construction of the tallest skyscrapers to ensure safety following mounting concerns over the quality of some projects.

The outright ban covers buildings that are taller than 500 metres, the National Development and Reform Commission said in a notice on Tuesday. Local authorities will also need to strictly limit building of towers that are more than 250m tall.

The top economic planner cited quality problems and safety hazards in some developments stemming from loose oversight. A 72-storey tower in Shenzhen was closed in May for checks following reports of unexplained wobbling, feeding concern about the stability of one of the technology hub's tallest buildings.

Construction of buildings exceeding 100m should strictly match the scale of the city where they will be located, along with its fire rescue capability, the commission said.

"It's primarily for safety," said Qiao Shitong, an associate law professor at the University of Hong Kong who studies property and urban law. Extremely tall buildings "are more like signature projects for mayors and not necessarily efficient".

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Authorities imposed an "in-principle" ban on new towers over 500m last year. There are only 10 buildings in the world exceeding that height, and five of them are in mainland China, including the 632m Shanghai Tower, said the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

The SEG Plaza's shaking in May prompted the local government to investigate and led to a warning from the US consulate in Guangzhou urging Americans to avoid the area. Videos circulated showing people fleeing. The building remains closed. BLOOMBERG