Lakeside buildings get set for chop

SHANGHAI: Several tall buildings around West Lake in Hangzhou will be made shorter to preserve the area's natural beauty and support its application for World Heritage status, the city government said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference, Wang Shuifa, who will head the redevelopment project, said the east wing of the Shangri-La Hotel, the main tower of the Huabei Hotel, a television tower and several other buildings will all be made shorter, probably by cutting off the top few floors.

The resizing project, which will cost 40 million yuan ($5.8 million), is part of a larger plan to restore the lake's natural and historical features, as it bids to become a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday.