1 Approved Peng Chau Outline Zoning Plan amended
Hong Kong Government, 22 February 2008
The Town Planning Board today (February 22) announced an amendment to the approved Peng Chau Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
The amendment is to allow applications for "Eating Place" and "Shop and Services" uses in Column 2 of the Notes for the "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Pier"("OU (Pier)") zone so as to provide convenient services to passengers, local visitors and tourists using the Peng Chau Pier.
The draft Peng Chau OZP No. S/I-PC/9, incorporating the amendment, is now available for public inspection during office hours at the secretariat of the board, the planning enquiry counters in the North Point and Sha Tin Government Offices, the Sai Kung and Islands District Planning Office, the Islands District Office and the Peng Chau Rural Committee.
Any person may make written representation in respect of the amendment to the secretary of the board on or before April 22, 2008. Representations made to the board will be available for public inspection.
Copies of the draft Peng Chau OZP No. S/I-PC/9 are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plan can be viewed at the board’s website at www.info.gov.hk/tpb/.
2 No point for spikes in icon design
Una So, The Standard 22 February 2008
The controversial spikes of the scaffolding-like tower proposed to be built on the heritage Central Police Station compound are out, according to the latest design.
The 30-meter bamboo scaffolding- inspired beams atop the tower have been scrapped, but the 130m observation deck and other facilities remain intact.
Hong Kong Jockey Club executive director for charities William Yiu Yan- pui told The Standard yesterday the design change was due to strong opposition from the community.
The architects behind the design, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuronwere - who also designed the "bird's nest" Olympic stadium in Beijing - were surprised by the adverse reactions.
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"They were so proud of the design, they had printed it on their Christmas cards," Yiu said.
The club last February offered to put up HK$1.8 billion to revitalize the site with the addition of a 160m tower housing arts and culture facilities. But the plan opened a floodgate of criticism, with complaints centering on the new addition, with the spikes described as eyesores blocking surrounding views.
The site was the Swiss architects' first project in Asia involving heritage conservation. Yiu said they had a steep learning curve on adapting to Hong Kong culture. "They wish they knew more about our culture, but they are very willing to learn," he said.
Yiu said the only regret was showing the conceptual rendering of the tower in a rush, since the chief executive chose to announce the plan in his policy address, as it was still an idea in progress and not a "nailed-in" design.
On hindsight, he said, the club should have incorporated more conservation ideas.
To address the complaints, the club has commissioned a British conservation architect, who advises Crown Estates, and an architecture historian to conduct a conservation management plan due in the middle of the year.
The experts will address detailed conservation of each building, including whether it is viable to put up a building in the middle of a monument site.
The club will do what is best for the site, even if it means drastic changes to the plan, Yiu said.
"We wish we had known the issue better and we could have done more. But the government should have done more in-depth studies long before our design. We are all learning," Yiu said.
