Urban transformation in the 1050 housing units is nearing completion.

The Chairman of the Bursa Branch of the Chamber of Civil Engineers, Serdar Atilla Erdem, stated that the largest urban transformation project in Bursa, covering 420 acres, is nearing completion, with rough construction reaching a level of 70%. He said that by the end of next year, the buildings would be ready for people to live in. Pointing out that there are about 6,000 risky buildings in Bursa, President Erdem remarked, “The footsteps of an earthquake can be heard for Bursa. We need to eliminate this risky building stock as soon as possible and transition to healthy housing. Local administrators need to open up zoning in areas that are not suitable for agriculture to meet the needs of the community.”

Erdem emphasized that an important step has been taken in the urban transformation of the 1,050 housing units in Bursa, which has become a gangrene situation that has been discussed for 10 years. “One year ago, your members started construction. What have you done in previous processes, how did you prepare, what is the current construction status, and when will a neighborhood and a city emerge here?”

In the largest urban transformation project in Bursa, which includes 2,400 housing units over 420 acres, the construction of earthquake-resistant buildings planned to replace old buildings has reached its final stages. In total, approximately 5,000 new housing units will be built, with Bakyapı and four other companies taking on the remaining transformation. Assessing the latest works, President of the Bursa Branch of the Chamber of Civil Engineers, Serdar Atilla Erdem, stated, “The mentioned area was the most risky area of Bursa. It has been a region under discussion for transformation for nearly 15 years. Immediately after the earthquake on February 6, we held informative meetings with a social responsibility project perspective. We held 48 meetings lasting at least 3 hours with property owners. Together with the reputable contractors in Bursa, including our company, we started the urban transformation project. After the licensing process, we will realize the project within the 18-month period we committed to, and we will initiate life. Rough construction has reached a level of 70%. By the end of next year, we will reach a point where we will start life.”

“The 1,050 housing units will be a beautiful living area in one year”

President Erdem noted that approximately 5,000 housing units will be built, excluding commercial areas, in place of the 2,400 housing units in the urban transformation area. “Approximately in one year, the region will become livable. Due to the abundance of public spaces there, we will create a spacious, wide, and beautiful living area with minimal construction,” he added.

“The footsteps of an earthquake can be heard for Bursa”

Expressing that the risky building stock that has not received engineering services and was built before the year 2000 is around 6,000 in Bursa, President Erdem said, “There is partially urban transformation happening in the Yıldırım and Nilüfer regions. However, it seems a bit challenging for us to reach the desired pace. Because when I speak with geologists, they indicate that the footsteps of an earthquake can be heard, and it is a statistical fact that a major earthquake occurs in Bursa approximately every 120 years. The last earthquake in Bursa was in 1855, therefore the probability of an earthquake occurring is quite high, and considering the characteristic structure of the existing fault lines, an earthquake above 7 is expected. We need to eliminate this risky building stock as soon as possible and transition to healthy housing. For this, everyone in society needs to put forth their utmost effort. Because without healthy buildings, we are not safe ourselves. It is uncertain where and when the earthquake will occur; therefore, we need to quickly convert the risky building problem into healthy structures,” he warned.

“New zoning areas should be opened”

Expressing that local administrators should open zoning in areas that are not suitable for agriculture to meet the needs of the community, Erdem stated, “One of the biggest problems in our sector is land. Not only ours, but housing is an essential need, and it is unacceptable for half of that need to be composed of land. There is no such situation anywhere in the world, except for some exceptions. It is not acceptable for half the value of an apartment to be land. Therefore, our land policy needs to be completely redone. The existing land policy sometimes encourages land hoarding and using land as a means of profit through our laws. We need to make regulations in these areas. We need to open enough zoned areas so that new projects can be realized, and during the period when risky buildings are eliminated, we also need to add new constructions due to population growth.”