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1. Tsueng Kwan O leisure island is being considered

2. Call to improve building designs

1. Tsueng Kwan O leisure island is being considered
CHLOE LAI, SCMP 3 May 2003

The Hong Kong government is considering building an artificial island for leisure pursuits south of Tseung Kwan O, turning the town into a recreation centre. It is among several options being considered.

Members of the Legislative Council's planning, lands and works panel were told the government was considering maximising the waterfront area of the already densely populated new town by building more attractions there.

Four development options on further building in the new town were tabled to members of the panel; they include an option for no further reclamation and a ceiling on the population to 460,000.

While option four, which would create a population capacity of 510,000, has already been ruled out by the Territorial Development Department, among the government suggestions was an artificial island where water sports facilities such as piers and boat moorings would be built, along with a riverine park constructed along the new town's eastern water channel. Tseung Kwan O is home to 300,000 people while the planned total population capacity is 480,000.

Deputy chairman of the panel, Lau Ping-chung, who represents the architectural, surveying and planning profession, disputed the wisdom of any further reclamation and an increase in the maximum population of new town to 495,000.

"I really can't see the point, I don't understand why an artificial island is needed in order to have recreation and leisure facilities," Mr Lau said. "Land, once reclaimed is irreversible, it should always be our last resort." He said the population of Tseung Kwan O should remain as low as possible.

The new town has long been criticised for its poor planning which resulted in high-density living.

The Secretary of Housing, Planning and Lands, Michael Suen Ming-yeung has said the government would avoid replicating the planning mistakes made previously in Tseung Kwan O.

The four options were outlined in the government's Feasibility Study for Further Development of Tseung Kwan O. Public consultation will end on May 16.

Meanwhile, Billy Lam Chung-lun, managing director of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) hinted after the panel meeting that the authority might lower the compensation to tenants affected by its development projects.

This was because property and land prices have dropped significantly in the past two years.

He stressed the URA would be open minded on the issue.

At present, tenants living in areas where the URA intends to redevelop are given compensation equal to the market price of a seven-year-old apartment in the same district. Mr Lam said the average amounts paid were above market.

2. Call to improve building designs
Michael Ng, The Standard 3 May 2003

Academics have called on the government to amend current laws so as to ensure that new buildings are better designed and have proper ventilation to prevent a repeat of what happened at Amoy Gardens.

Members of the University of Hong Kong's faculty of architecture pointed out yesterday that the present definition of gross floor area in the Building (Planning) Ordinance includes both the ``saleable area'', representing the size of the residential units, and the ``common area'', like lifts, lobby and staircases.

Most developers, therefore, try to get the maximum cost-effectiveness by maximising the ``saleable area'' and minimising the ``common area''.

Using Amoy Gardens as an example, associate professor Wong Wah-sang said the distances between kitchens and washrooms of different units measured between 2.3 metres and 1.5 metres.

``This seriously affects the natural ventilation flow in the interior of the building and the residential units. It will also create a chimney effect at the external wall of the building and a favourable environment for the spread of contaminants,'' he said.

To remedy the environmental defects and prevent a recurrence of the incident, Wong urged the government to amend the current Building (Planning) Regulations by clearly dividing gross floor area into two parts - ``saleable area'' and ``common area''.

``This could offer a higher flexibility for architects in the design of new buildings and lead to the improvement in air movement,'' he said.

Wong said an increase in the floor height of residential units plus the provision of fire breaks in tall buildings (which could also be used as common areas for residents) could also improve ventilation.

For old and densely-populated buildings, the Urban Renewal Authority and Planning Department should convert part of the redeveloped land in the neighbourhood into sitting-out areas or parks to provide open spaces for residents, Wong said.

Chau Kwong-wing, the dean of architecture, said his faculty expected to launch a health and hygiene index for new buildings in Hong Kong within the next 12 months.