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1.Backup plan lacking for cultural hub

1. Backup plan lacking for cultural hub
QUINTON CHAN and CHLOE LAI, SCMP 6 October 2005

The government has no backup or exit plan for the West Kowloon Cultural District if the shortlisted developers decide to pull out of the revised project, sources close to the project say.

A source also disclosed that as public opinion on the giant canopy included in the original plan was inconclusive, the government would go ahead with construction of the controversial structure over the arts hub.

Chief Secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan will ask the three shortlisted developers to submit a new proposal if they want to stay in the race.

The source said: "There is no backup or exit plan. If all say no to the new plan, the whole thing will start all over again. If one drops out, the game will probably continue. If two pull out, it may need to start all over again."

He also said public consultation results showed slightly more people in favour of the Lord Foster-designed canopy than against it, which the government considered "inconclusive".

The Post reported earlier that the government would scale back the arts hub and put development of the rest of the reclaimed area out for tender, allowing smaller developers opportunities for a slice of the prime waterfront site. Mr Hui announced shortly after he took up the chief secretary's post that he would reveal the fate of the arts hub, with results of the public consultation, to Legco. He also disclosed his preference for setting up an authority to oversee the development and operation of the cultural district.

The source said the consultation, which ended in June, gave the government a strong mandate to carry on with the project.

He said the public disliked leaving the 40-hectare waterfront site in the hands of one developer, as the government had planned.

Although the public was asked to rate the three proposed bids during the consultation, the government will not reveal the public's rating of each bid. It will, however, disclose what the public thinks of various aspects of bidders' plans.

The source also said the much anticipated West Kowloon authority would be given the task of monitoring the project and operating the cultural facilities.

But it remained unclear whether the land outside the core cultural headland would be given to the authority to dispose of, or whether it would be put to tender directly by the government.

The shortlisted developers for the core project are Sunny Development, a joint venture with Sino Land, Wharf (Holdings) and Chinese Estates Holdings; World City Culture Park, a subsidiary of Henderson Land Development; and Dynamic Star International, a Sun Hung Kai Properties and Cheung Kong (Holdings) consortium.