?zmir's Konak to allow buildings 10 meters taller with new regulation

A new plan put into place by the Environment and Urbanization Ministry and accepted by the ?zmir Metropolitan Municipality will allow buildings in the Konak district of the Aegean province?s largest city to be built 10 meters taller.  

The ministry?s recent regulation changed the permitted height of buildings surrounding the coastal shores of the city, which might change the silhouette of ?zmir?s famous Kordon neighborhood, Do?an News Agency reported. 

The Chambers of Architects criticized the decision, claiming that the new Planned Areas Construction Regulation will worsen the construction on the already densely constructed coast of ?zmir.

The buildings in the Konak district have been widely criticized for being too close to each other, preventing wind and weather from entering the inner city. With the new regulation, it was feared the undeveloped parts of the coast would see higher buildings.

The Konak District Municipality attempted to prevent the higher height allowances by making a decision in November 2014 that limited the height of one floor to three meters.  

It said the area between Kordon and the Alsancak Port was to be limited to eight floors, with a maximum height of 24.8 meters. The buildings on the Mustafa Kemal Coast Boulevard were limited to seven floors, with a maximum height of 21.8 meters. 

However, the Konak Municipality?s decision was rejected by the ?zmir Metropolitan Municipality, which said the municipal council legally had to approve the related article in the amended regulation of the Environment and Urbanization Ministry. It also said the new regulation can only be enforced on undeveloped sites, not on already developed areas of the city. 

Chambers of Architects ?zmir Branch...