Gwangju Bukgu has conditionally approved the construction permit for 'The Hyundai Gwangju,' the region's first large-scale complex shopping mall. This complex shopping mall project, which will be the largest in the country, is expected to enter full operational status.
On the 18th, Bukgu Office said that it is scheduled to conditionally approve the construction permit application submitted by The Hyundai Gwangju today.
The construction permit request was received on Feb. 28 this year, and Bukgu has since formed a task force (TF) team to conduct feasibility studies and research on traffic improvement measures.
This conditional approval is based on four implementation conditions aimed at minimizing citizen inconvenience and ensuring safety. These conditions include ▲ utilizing the parking lot of the complex shopping mall during professional baseball games ▲ securing temporary parking during the construction period and establishing a safety management plan to reduce noise, dust, and vibrations ▲ conducting traffic monitoring for more than three months after project completion ▲ and clarifying the improvement of surrounding scenery and walking environments linked to Gwangju Stream's water-friendly spaces and bicycle paths.
Bukgu plans to continuously check for problems arising during the construction process even after the construction permit is granted, and will conduct administrative guidance if necessary.
In the past, Bukgu has conducted a total of three assessments of the adequacy of construction and infrastructure considering traffic congestion and resident inconveniences due to the entry of large complex shopping malls. It also commissioned research on traffic improvement measures to address concerns about traffic problems arising from the development project. Bukgu explained that the traffic impact assessment conducted by Gwangju did not reflect the traffic volume around Gwangju-Kia Champions Field and some parts of the large-scale redevelopment project.
Bukgu anticipates that the daily traffic volume may reach up to 290,000 vehicles once the redevelopment in the Gwangcheon area is completed. In particular, it judged that the traffic congestion would intensify as the Gwangju Metro is not expected to be completed by the time The Hyundai opens in 2027.
In response, Bukgu proposed five traffic measures, including the three-dimensionalization of the Gwangcheon-Unam Intersection, expansion of arterial roads, and establishment of consolidation roads, but Gwangju city adopted only some of these due to its public transport, bicycle, and pedestrian policy, finalizing a conditional approval plan.
The Hyundai Gwangju will be developed on approximately 10,000 pyeong of land at the former Jeonbang and Ilshin Spinning site in Imdong, Gwangju Bukgu, consisting of six underground floors and eight above-ground floors with a total floor area of around 270,000 square meters. This complex shopping mall, which will have shopping, cultural, and leisure functions, aims to open in 2027.