SKYLINE News Briefing -16 March 2006

A Water Bridge. This is an incredible engineering feat for our pure construction enthusiasts...

Completed back in 2003 - but still right up there as an outstanding example of construction ingenuity.

This "Water Bridge" in Germany is a channel-bridge over the river Elbe and joins the former East and West Germany, as part of their unification project. It is located in the city of Magdeburg, near Berlin, and it took six years to build at a cost of around 500 million euros. The massive undertaking connects Berlin's inland harbour with the ports along the Rhine river. At the centre of the project is Europe's longest water bridge measuring in just shy of a kilometre at 918 meters long. The huge tub to transport ships over the river Elbe took 24,000 metric tons of steel and 68,000 cubic meters of concrete to build.

The water bridge will enable river barges to avoid a lengthy and sometimes unreliable passage along the Elbe. Shipping can often come to a halt on the stretch if the river's water mark falls to unacceptably low levels.

For more information click below
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,990878,00.html

Geneva Motor Show 2006: Pagani Zonda F.

Source: MSN.com Photo: Perry Stern

New World's Kowloon empire falls into place
YVONNE LIU , SCMP 15 March 2006
New World Development has acquired Hiranand House in Tsim Sha Tsui for $250 million, or $7,403 per square foot, a site the developer plans to combine with its nearby Hanoi Road mega project, according to sources.

Maria Sharapova
AP Photo/Elise Amendola, 14 March, 2006

Third-seed Maria Sharapova of Russia returns to Shahar Peer of Israel at the Pacific Life Tennis Open in Indian Wells, California.

Second Kai Tak Forum to discuss comments on Kai Tak Outline Concept Plans
Hong Kong Government, 14 March 2006
The Sub-committee on South East Kowloon Development Review of the Harbour-front Enhancement Committee (HEC) will hold the "Second Kai Tak Forum" on March 25 to discuss the community's views on the three Outline Concept Plans proposed at the Stage 2 Kai Tak Planning Review.

Green policy oversight gives Henderson space worth $800m
CHLOE LAI and QUINTON CHAN , SCMP 13 March 2006
Henderson Land , which reaped a $3.2 billion windfall from its controversial Grand Promenade development due to a government blunder, also gained more than 12,000 square metres of extra floor space for the project - worth almost $800 million - free.

Harbor groups question latest claims over bypass
Leslie Kwoh, The Standard 10 March 2006
Reclamation is essential to the construction of the Central-Wan Chai bypass, a government advisory body tasked to review the development project heard Thursday.

Harbour group demands clarifications on bypass
FELIX CHAN , SCMP 10 March 2006
A government-appointed body on harbourfront development has endorsed the Central-Wan Chai bypass in principle but demanded clarifications on alignments.

Private property development is heading for a boost with a government proposal that may force holdout owners to sell their flats to a developer that owns at least 80 percent of a building's units.

Harbor panel members to fight Central transport plan
Leslie Kwoh, The Standard 9 March 2006
Members of the government advisory body tasked with reviewing the Central- Wan Chai bypass project have vowed to oppose the report on transport planning in Central unless a number of amendments are included.

People want human-scale waterfront, says report
Leslie Kwoh, The Standard, 9 March 2006
Wrapping up a year-long public consultation on the fate of the Central ferry piers area, a government advisory body released a final report Wednesday urging a "humanistic approach" to developing the waterfront.

Property scheme fails to meet wish list of developers
DENNIS ENG, SCMP 9 March 2006
The government is hoping to instigate much-needed urban redevelopment with a proposal to make it easier for property developers to force the sale of buildings.

Consultation on proposals to facilitate private redevelopment
Hong Kong Government, 8 March 2006
The Government today (March 8) commenced a consultation on proposals to lower the compulsory sale threshold for three specified classes of lots under the Land (Compulsory Sale for Redevelopment) Ordinance with the aim of facilitating private redevelopment.

Court sees no wrong in award of harbour contract
NICK GENTLE , SCMP 7 March 2006
The government did not act unfairly when it awarded the contract for the Central and Wan Chai harbour reclamation to a firm that did not meet one of the conditions of the tender documents, a court ruled yesterday.