PANJIM: Most of the houses in the Sao Tome, Fontainhas heritage area in a precarious condition. The vagaries of the weather are also taking a heavy toll. In today’s edition of Street Voices, Herald TV asked residents about the need to protect the heritage houses, and whether high rise building should not be allowed in the area.
There is already a rule of conservation so the architecture should be framed keeping in mind what is already existing. I have seen new buildings coming up which are very tall, if something falls from the height of the building then it will damage the houses. Some restrictions should be there regarding the height the of the buildings and the architecture. There are rules already in place, but I don’t know how some people are getting to construct anything they want.
Vasquito Alvares, Resident, Sao Tome
It not only about banning of high rise construction in Fontainhas area but also transforming residential into commercial zone that is worrying. The area is not suitable for commercial purpose since the roads are narrow, there is no parking place. It is a purely residential area. Once a high rise or low rise structure is declared as unsafe it has to be sealed and demolished. The incident which happened where the roof of the hotel fell on the house – in this case the contractors should be blamed not the owner. As it depends on contractors how a structure is to be constructed.
Alu Gomes Pereira, Resident, Sao Tome
There should be a rule to stop the construction of high rise buildings near the Sao Tome-Fontainhas area. We should maintain the heritage houses by not allowing the construction of buildings over three to four floors. Whatever buildings were constructed long ago should remain, but now no more high rise buildings should be allowed.
Tony Dias, Resident, Sao Tome