Review of building restrictions praised

Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

A city planning expert from Udayana University, Putu Rumawan Salain, said Tuesday the Bali provincial administration's plan to re-evaluate restrictions on high-rise developments would protect the environment provided the restrictions were based on a thorough study.

"It is wise to protect the environment, but there are things which must be noted. There must be a comprehensive research into which areas can have high-rises," he said.

The administration said last week it would re-evaluate high-rise development restrictions, particularly the building height limit that uses coconut palms as a yardstick, to prevent the island's "green areas" from disappearing.

A special team has been assigned to study possible changes in zoning regulations and are looking for ways to accommodate local objections to taller buildings with the growing need for land in Bali.

Chairman of Indonesia's Hindu Council I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana objected to the changes, saying that Hindu Balinese do not need high-rise buildings. Balinese Hindu regards high places as sacred.

Rumawan said Bali must find ways to support its growing population. "We need high-rise buildings for hotels, housing, offices, schools and hospitals."

Each big city in Bali has an average population density of 600 persons per square km, higher than the ideal population density of 400 persons per square km. Bali only covers some 563,286 hectares.

The number of paddy fields is "shrinking fast" at a rate of approximately 107 hectares (ha) a year, Tabanan Regent N. Adi Wiryatama said.

The regent said in 2002, there were around 22,842 ha offields in Tabanan, but the area had shrunk to 22,413 hectares in 2006.

Renowned Balinese architect Popo Danes acknowledged the need for constructing buildings vertically to save land, but was concerned at the lack of law enforcement for the regulations.

"There are violations in building permits under the existing regulation, let alone for regulations on more complex buildings," Popo said.

"Before we make a step forward, we should fix the regulation system."

The regulation, enacted more than 20 years ago, prevents the construction of buildings more over 15 meters in height, or above the tops of local coconut trees.

The island only has one high-rise building, Inna Grand Bali Beach hotel, which was constructed in the 1960s before the introduction of the restriction.