Demolition ban on historic architecture

The government has ordered a ban on the demolition of heritage buildings as well as antique traditional houses and pagodas, especially those in cities such as Battambang and Siem Reap.

Prime Minister Hun Sen issued the directive on Tuesday saying that sustainable conservation of Khmer architecture is key to the development of heritage cities which can attract tourism and includes French Colonial, traditional wooden houses and century-old pagodas. The directive came as a slew of heritage buildings have been reportedly modernised or demolished to make way for new development.

“Permission must be sought for repairs, renovation or demolition of all heritage buildings from the Culture Ministry,” he said. Kandal provincial governor Kong Sophorn yesterday said: “In my province, almost 500 hundred pagodas and antique buildings still stand from the French Protectorate era. They have been saved from collapsing or being demolished by developers.”

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