New city development extends beyond mere physical land development and building construction; it is a comprehensive social process that forms new residential communities and safeguards the living rights of residents. However, a critical issue remains:...
New city development extends beyond mere physical land development and building construction; it is a comprehensive social process that forms new residential communities and safeguards the living rights of residents. However, a critical issue remains: the opportunity for prospective residents to participate during the initial development phase is largely relegated to an unofficial level. Due to the lack of institutional support for their activities, representation is often compromised, leading to repetitive conflicts. This study investigates how the Council of Prospective Residents (CPR) participates in the new city development process and how such participation impacts the guarantee of residential living rights.
This research utilized a literature review and case studies by local governments, alongside in-depth interviews with organizations that have operated as CPRs in actual new cities, as well as officials from local governments, developers, and construction companies. The interviews focused on participation methods, conflict structures, institutional limitations, and improvement experiences, utilizing thematic analysis. The analysis targeted cases within major new cities in the metropolitan area over the past 5 to 10 years where CPRs were substantially organized and active.
The analysis reveals that CPRs were primarily formed voluntarily through online communities from the moment residents won the subscription lottery until just before completion. They secured representation and bargaining power by collecting letters of attorney, managing minutes independently, and drafting agreements. Although they are arbitrary organizations with unclear legal grounds, they functioned as de facto official consultation channels by sending official documents and holding regular meetings. However, they faced difficulties in securing necessary information aligned with construction schedules, and the recognition of their status varied by complex. This exposed limitations where conflicts were prolonged due to information asymmetry regarding development, ambiguous legal status, and the absence of standards for cost and responsibility sharing.
Conflicts stemmed from clashing interests and institutional voids. While CPRs demanded quality and living amenities, developers and construction firms prioritized budgets and schedules. Even when agreements were reached, they often lacked legal binding force, and since participation occurred after designs and budgets were fixed, there was little room for practical adjustment. In this structural disadvantage, differences in interpretation regarding defects, contracts, and management scope widened, and the recommendation-centered administration of local governments lacked substantive resolution power.
However, institutional attempts in some local governments yielded positive results. Arrangements where local governments established regular tripartite consultative meetings involving residents, the government, and developers, documented proceedings officially, and inspected sites with experts restored trust between residents and the administration, leading to tangible improvements. Successful outcomes included reinforced drainage facilities, expanded resident amenities, new school routes, waterfront park expansions, improved pedestrian safety, and soundproof tunnel installations. These cases demonstrate that the consultation process with prospective residents, rather than escalating conflict, can serve as a mechanism to coordinate issues and enhance quality.
To encourage active participation of prospective residents and ensure the proper functioning of this tripartite consultation, the legal status of these bodies must first be clarified. It is essential to institutionally define when and how residents can participate at each stage, from the initial sale to the final move-in. Furthermore, regulations should be enacted to verify representatives and ensure that consultation details are maintained by the system rather than changing with personnel. Additionally, establishing a system to disclose information such as design plans and construction progress in a timely manner is crucial. Finally, the scope of resident demands and the division of costs and responsibilities must be clearly defined. Only through such measures can the Council of Prospective Residents evolve from a simple complaints channel into a substantive partner among residents, the government, and developers in creating the new city's residential environment. With these institutional supports, new cities can become not just spaces of buildings and roads, but true living places where the community coexists and housing rights are genuinely guaranteed.