Environmentalists and Taichung residents say that a proposed industrial park on Dadu Mountain (大肚山) is a threat to protected species and an excuse for property speculation.
Fuan Industrial Park plans to zone 33.45 hectares of land — mostly owned by state-run Taiwan Sugar Corp — covering parts of Dadu Mountain and Wuri (烏日) and Nantun (南屯) districts to accommodate metal manufacturers, electronics manufacturers and the optics industry.
The developer also proposed building a hotel complex and a residential area on 1.7 hectares.
Dadu Mountain Society president Wu Chin-shu (吳金樹) said that there are 243.45 hectares of vacant land in industrial parks surrounding the Port of Taichung, and questioned the need to build more industrial parks in the city.
The proposed site is located near the Central Taiwan Science Park, the Taichung Industrial Park and the Taichung Precision Machinery Innovation Technology Park, as well as a crematorium and an incineration plant. The additional site would reduce greenery and worsening air quality in the area, Taiwan Academy of Ecology standing director Ho Chi-an (何其安) said.
Fuan Industrial’s proposed project, along with an expansion project by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, would dramatically damage the environment and aggravate air pollution, Ho said.
Wu said Dadu Mountain is the only place in Taiwan where a rare plant species — Cynanchum mooreanum — is found and the mountain is also home to the African grass owl — also a protected species — but the developer did not submit wildlife preservation plans in its proposal.
Liu Hsiao-lan (劉小蘭) a member of the Environmental Protection Administration’s Environmental Review committee said that the proposed hotel complex is separate from the industrial park project, adding that although residential properties in industrial parks are not unprecedented, they are usually designated to relocate local residents whose properties have been expropriated or to provide housing for workers, rather than for accommodating tourists.
Committee member Yu Fan-chieh (游繁結) questioned the purpose of the planned residential area, as the land to be expropriated is owned by Taiwan Sugar and there are few residents to be relocated.
Ho said that the hotel complex is an attractive development, as it could provide views of the city that would attract tourists.
The committee is to hold another review and the developer has been asked to justify the hotel and residential area, as well as address issues of waste treatment and drainage.
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