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1. Government failed to meet cultural hub terms

1. Government failed to meet cultural hub terms
Colum Murphy, The Standard 27 January 2005

The government failed to comply with conditions which required it to hire consultants to finalize a masterplan for West Kowloon, set down during the initial concept plan competition, housing chief Michael Suen admitted.

The Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands was responding to questions put by Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat in the Legislative Council on Wednesday. Lee questioned whether the government has violated the general conditions set out in the concept plan competition for the HK$40 billion West Kowloon cultural project in 2001.

He said the general conditions stipulated that after the winning conceptual proposals were selected, a team of consultants appointed by the government should finalize a detailed masterplan.

The government should then decide by public tender which package within the site would be granted to the developers.

But Suen admitted on Wednesday the government has not hired consultants to finalize a masterplan, saying the general conditions ``reflected the government's initial thinking'' and served only as ``a reference for interested parties.'' ``The government had not made any decision on the mode and procedures for the development at that time,'' Suen said.

It was decided the masterplan would be drawn up by the private sector, which was ``better placed'' to do so than the government.

The masterplan is based on Norman Foster's winning design.

``After taking into account the planning concepts of the winning entries, the steering committee for the development of the West Kowloon cultural project was of the view that the site should be developed in an integrated manner with the inclusion of commercial and residential elements,'' Suen said.

This approach had been decided upon so as to expedite development as far as possible given the ``pressing public demand for arts and cultural facilities and to create employment opportunities.''

Suen said the government did not adopt the public tendering method as set out in the general conditions because it preferred a ``community-driven approach,'' in which the private sector would be responsible for the development and operation of the site.

Instead of a public tender, the government issued an invitation for proposals, which Suen said allows the government more flexibility in negotiating with the proponents.