Beijing will no longer ratify renovation projects for old homes in its downtown core, moving to better protect the ancient capital.

However, heritage protection experts suggest that ongoing renovation projects in old areas should be urgently halted and real estate developer-dominated renovation methods should be rethought.

On Monday, Xinhua News Agency reported that the Beijing municipal government has decided to stop all projects concerning the removal and renovation of old and derelict houses in the imperial city zone.

All housing renovation and repairs should be done in accordance with the Beijing Historical and Cultural Heritage Protection Plan, which was enacted last year, it said.

In a Xinhua report released earlier this year, a commission representative said in imperial city areas and other protected historical zones, the practice to demolish old houses and construct new high-rises will be halted.

With the Forbidden City as its center, the 6.8-square-kilometre imperial city zone is the core of ancient Beijing.

Many residents living in the imperial zone have poor housing conditions. Meanwhile, high land prices in the downtown area attract real estate developers who construct luxury shopping and residential districts.

The Beijing government adopted the original housing renovation policy in the early 1990s, which allowed developers to replace old and sometimes derelict homes with new high-rises by compensating original residents -- often inadequately.

As a result of the massive renovation projects, tens of thousands ancient Hutong and Siheyuan-- Chinese alleys and quadrangles -- have been demolished and relics of old Beijing destroyed.

The massive destruction of old buildings impaired Beijing's attempt to apply for world heritage listing in 2000 and 2001.

In 2001 and 2002, Beijing listed 40 protected historical zones, which account for 42 per cent of the old city. The municipal government also increased its efforts to restore some key relics and aged streets.

But despite the work, Hua Xinmin, who is one of those leading the fight to protect old houses, says it is more important to stop all ongoing projects in ancient areas -- and that it should not be limited to the imperial city.

With the booming real estate industry in China, the demolition of old houses and construction of new projects have been speeded up over the last three years.

"Many ongoing projects not only destroy precious old buildings, but also the style of entire historical zones. The destruction is irreparable,'' Hua said.

In addition, the current renovation practice dominated by real estate developers should be rethought, because they naturally chase profits over protection, said Liu Xiaoshi, former director of the Beijing Municipal Planning Commission.

"Although non-profit repairs of old homes will definitely take longer, it would be more than worthwhile to take that approach.''

(China Daily November 13, 2003)