Buildings higher than 250 metres to be banned altogether in cities with fewer than three million people
China is home to five of the world’s 10 tallest buildings which exceed the 1,640-foot mark. AFP
Home to some of the world’s tallest buildings, including the Shanghai Tower, which has 128 floors, China is now restricting the construction of extremely tall skyscrapers in smaller cities as part of a crackdown on wasteful vanity projects by local governments.
As per the new ruling issued by Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, cities with populations of less than three million cannot build skyscrapers taller than 150 metres without special permissions. Similarly, cities with larger populations must not construct buildings higher than 250 metres.
The announcement was met with approval on Chinese social media site Weibo, with many stating that the super-high skyscrapers were “not needed… they’re just gimmicky”.
The new law also states that officials who approve such projects will be “held accountable for life”.
China is home to five of the world’s 10 tallest buildings which exceed the 1,640-foot mark, including the Shanghai Tower which stands at just over 2,000 feet, according to the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world’s tallest with a height of 2,716 feet.
Data released by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat also revealed that the number of new skyscrapers built globally dropped more than 20 percent in 2020, largely owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year saw the completion of 106 new buildings measuring 200 metres (656 feet) or above, down from 133 in 2019 — and the lowest total since 2014.
Moreover, the data showed that China accounted for more than half of the year’s new 200-metre-plus towers.
With inputs from agencies