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1.Stanley Ho favours multi-developer idea

2.Residents offer new plan to save Wedding Card Street

1. Stanley Ho favours multi-developer idea
JIMMY CHEUNG, SCMP 11 July 2005

Tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun has weighed into the debate over the West Kowloon project, saying a multi-developer approach would net the government $150 billion more than a single developer would.

Mr Ho, chairman of the Real Estate Developers Association, yesterday criticised the proposal to award the cultural hub to a single developer.

"I have always opposed the single-developer approach. We think the Treasury would gain much less as a result," he said.

He believed the government could gain up to $200 billion by opening up the bid, compared with its own estimate of $50 billion to $60 billion.

"As long as the government allows more developers to participate, either through the application list or public auction, it can fetch at least over $100 billion, if not $200 billion.

"If the government can make more money, why not?"

The casino and property tycoon also said the Executive Council should include representatives from the property sector, as the industry was such an important part of the economy.

He dismissed fears that this would lead to collusion with businesses, saying such problems only existed in poor countries.

Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme yesterday, Alan Leong Kah-kit, chairman of a Legco committee on the West Kowloon project, hoped the government would establish a new steering authority to develop the project.

As his committee was still unable to gain access to crucial details on the project, such as financial arrangements and technical studies, Mr Leong would not rule out the possibility of invoking special Legco powers to obtain the relevant papers later this year.

But he said this would be a last resort. "We have entered an interactive stage. We hope there will be a positive response from the government," he said, referring To Whom It May Concern: recommendations tabled last week.

2. Residents offer new plan to save Wedding Card Street
ZHUANG PINGHUI, SCMP 11 July 2005

Lee Tung Street is locked in a redevelopment battle. Picture by Martin Chan

Residents hoping to save Wan Chai's celebrated Wedding Card Street from being developed into just another common shopping centre are fighting back with a new redevelopment plan.

The residents' group submitted a proposal on Lee Tung Street to the Town Planning Board in February, but it rejected the plan citing technical flaws and insufficient documentation.

A new proposal, to be presented to the board on July 22, has added more green areas and dumped a bridge that connected the old flats to new buildings. It is also has added three review reports on the environment, trees and traffic that have been funded by residents.

The redevelopment proposal involves reducing six-storey buildings to four storeys, planting trees and flowers on the roofs of refurbished blocks, and erecting five 29-storey blocks to provide nearly 1,000 flats, with shopping malls on the podium level.

Residents also will add a three-dimensional master layout, made by residents using cardboard, dishcloths hairpins and fake flowers, to the proposal.

Residents have been fighting to keep the character of the street since the government announced a plan to tear down the half-century-old flats and built a modern retail and residential area.

Despite more than 50 per cent of flat and shop owners having accepted a government compensation offer and left, some residents such as Fok Lai-ching are trying to ensure the development occurs but still preserves the street's unique qualities.

Ms Fok said the residents wanted to keep 34 old flats, stay in the neighbourhood after the project and be able to have a say in the planning process.

"The government said the redevelopment project should be people-oriented and maintain the community network, that's exactly what we have been concerned about," said Ms Fok, who has a shop in Lee Tung Street and has lived in Wan Chai for more than 40 years.

"Nobody wants to keep the community network more than us.

"We are not a group of greedy people not satisfied with the compensation offer. We care about our neighbourhood and, look, we paid $150,000 for the [proposal's review] reports ourselves."

Ms Fok said she would consider an appeal to the board if the proposal was rejected again.