A $2 billion housing project proposes a gradual development over 45 years, with 70% of units designated as first-time homeownership and 125 hectares of environmental protection. The Maratué Urban Housing Development project in Puchuncaví, which entails a $2 billion investment, submitted a supplementary addendum on September 29th to continue its environmental assessment process. This follows observations made in July 2021 by the Committee of Ministers for Sustainability and the publication of the ICSARA 2 report by the Valparaíso Environmental Assessment Service in January 2023.
The initiative, to be developed on 1,015 hectares of urban land in Puchuncaví, conducted new studies as part of the addendum submission to complement existing studies and address the observations made in the ICSARA 2 report, primarily regarding atmospheric emissions and the potential presence of heavy metals.
Claudia Lería, the project representative, stated that “we have spent the last few months conducting various studies to demonstrate that there are no potential risks to people’s health. We carried out more than a thousand measurements on the property, which support the claim that the project we are proposing is entirely compatible with the surrounding area.” She added that “Puchuncaví is a municipality that needs development and a shift in investment to shed its reputation as a sacrifice zone. This is a desire shared not only by local authorities but by the entire community. That is why we are proposing a project with a strong commitment to conservation, while also creating an opportunity for hundreds of local families who are currently waiting for housing.”
In parallel with the presentation of the Addendum, Maratué has been making progress in its collaborative work with various housing committees and organizations in Puchuncaví, representing more than 400 families in the area. This work is being carried out through the Sponsoring Entity (EP) Carlos Carrillo Torres, which has led the process with representatives from Alto Ventanas, Los Médanos de Campiche, and Bucalemu. The initiative is also working with international urban planning consultants to ensure the project is a planned, sustainable, and pioneering urban initiative focused on serving the people, as has been made clear in each of their presentations.
“As an initiative that encompasses a construction spanning almost half a century, Maratué incorporates urban planning but also a forward-looking perspective and a response to real problems we face, such as the effects of climate change on our cities,” affirms Claudia Lería. To that end, she adds, “we have been working internationally, seeking best practices in sustainable cities and projects. For this, we have incorporated different perspectives, one of which is that of the renowned international urban planner Norman Foster and his firm, Foster + Partners. We want Maratué to be a space that serves people, recognizing and incorporating the unique characteristics of the territory, but with an approach that combines environmental protection, social integration, and territorial planning.” CONSERVATION AND FIRST HOMES Maratué is primarily a first-home project (70%) that aims to help address the housing deficit in the region, the second largest in the country. To this end, the initiative seeks to develop in an orderly, planned, and gradual manner over time, always respecting environmental attributes. The project encompasses a 125-hectare conservation area, and although it is still undergoing environmental review, measures are already being implemented, such as monitoring the belloto forest, protecting the conservation area, and developing Quirilluca Park, where visitors can explore the cliffs and the booby nesting area in an organized manner, among other actions. Finally, the project envisions 300 houses per year and at least 2,000 subsidized homes in a low-density format, on urban land that already has access to electricity and water services, provided by Aguas Santiago Norte, which signed an interconnection agreement with ESVAL. For more information about the Maratué project, please visit www.maratue.cl.