Decision by Istanbul's Pendik Municipality on small apartments sparks lifestyle debate

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

A recent decision reportedly banning construction of smaller apartments by Istanbul district Pendik’s municipal council caused fury on June 5 over concerns about intervening in lifestyles, despite Pendik Municipality officials denying the claims.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) member of the Pendik municipal council Tarık Balyalı claimed the Pendik mayor was unhappy with 1+1 apartments, most commonly used by young couples or those living on their own, and wished to prevent further construction of them.

Balyalı released a statement criticizing the decision as an intervention in personal space, a late-coming addition to ongoing government pressure on lifestyle choices.

The municipality however denied such claims, and responded to the accusations in a statement targeting the early reports that surfaced on daily Cumhuriyet, known for its anti-government stance, that have sparked up the public debate.

The official statement said the ban did not affect the size of apartments that can be constructed in certain neighborhoods, but only the number, in an attempt to control population density throughout the district.

The recent arrangement only contains two neighborhoods in the district, and restricts the number of apartments built in the area, in which construction companies have attempted to build 300 apartments despite regulations calling for only 120, according to a Pendik Municipality statement.

The number of apartments is calculated through a set measurement depending on the size of the area ahead of construction, the statement said.

“If the company wishes to do so, they can build only 1+1 apartments, but the number of apartments that can be built is limited. The report on 1+1 ban is a false report aiming to abuse sentiments,” the municipality added.