The Administrative Regulation no.4/2024 – Protection and Management Plan of the Historic Centre of Macao was promulgated on 15 January 2024 and shall come into force on 1 June.

The “Historic Centre of Macao” is an important cultural heritage and tourism resource of the city. The Macao SAR Government developed the Protection and Management Plan of the Historic Centre of Macao pursuant to Article 51 of Law no.11/2013 – Cultural Heritage Protection Law and carried out two rounds of public consultation, respectively, in 2014 and 2018, thereby inviting members of the public and professional organisations to provide their opinions. The Government also remains in close communication with the National Cultural Heritage Administration, UNESCO World Heritage Centre and other relevant international organisations, with the purpose of obtaining expert opinions to form a solid basis for broad consensus, culminating in the development of the Protection and Management Plan of the Historic Centre of Macao that has thus been published in the Administrative Regulation no.4/2024.

The referred regulation mainly defines appropriate measures and procedures to ensure a broader and more systematic preservation and management of the Historic Centre of Macao, the establishment of 11 “visual corridors”, 19 “scenic streets” and 24 “urban fabric” zones, as well as the definition of relevant guiding principles, namely, “construction restrictions” based on the cultural value of different buildings, “criteria for architectural restoration” relating to the 22 historic buildings that are parts of the “Historic Centre of Macao” and the “assessment of impacts on heritage” and “sustainability”, which altogether have the objective of protecting and preserving the values of the “Historic Centre of Macao”. Furthermore, the regulation also proposes other management and control measures relating to 11 specific aspects that are inherent to the Historic Centre of Macao, such as, management of daily use, municipal facilities, greening, transportation, among others.  

The formulation of this administrative regulationrepresents yet another important advancement in the field of the Heritage Protection Law, enabling further and more detailed juridical assurances in support of the preservation and management of the Historic Centre of Macao, while also implementing an  optimised and reasonable use of heritage resources, and ensuring the strict preservation of the outstanding universal value of Historic Centre of Macao. This administrative regulation will therefore greater endurance in support of Macao’s privileged position as a convergence axis bringing together Chinese and Western cultures, while also promoting the sustainable development of Macao’s society and the city itself, as a whole.