Plans to stop the urban sprawl in Lebanon are rejected

The Order of Engineers and Architects of Tripoli rejected Prime Minister Najib Mikati suggestion for the construction of additional floors on existing buildings. “Such measures will never affect the Treasury positively,” it said in a statement issued Wednesday, adding that the step would disfigure urban and rural areas if passed by the Cabinet. “Such a measure violates all urban planning fundamentals,” the statement added, warning it would also destabilize the real estate market and would cause price distortions. “The Cabinet should look for projects that do not damage what is left of proper urban planning in Lebanon,” the statement said.