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1. Cruise hub tender 'just for the big developers'

2. Councillors slam estate redevelopment plans

3. Draft Mong Kok Outline Zoning Plan amended

1. Cruise hub tender 'just for the big developers'
CHLOE LAI, SCMP 4 November 2005

Expressions of interest were sought yesterday for construction of a cruise terminal in a long-awaited move to turn the city into a regional cruise hub.

But the planned open tender was swiftly criticised as the exclusive province of big property developers with land along the waterfront.

The document, issued by the Tourism Commission, invites developers to propose building the terminal on any piece of government land on Victoria Harbour apart from the site designated for the West Kowloon arts hub.

The government said that if no other suitable location was proposed it would go ahead with its original plan for a terminal at the old Kai Tak airport site.

In an echo of the highly controversial approach used for West Kowloon, construction and management of the terminal will be granted to the winning bidder.

Residential development is not permitted as part of the project and the developer will have to provide convincing reasons for any reclamation.

Shopping malls, hotels and offices will be permitted, however, prompting harbour activists to slam it as a property development in the name of a cruise terminal.

Citizen Envisioning @Harbour convenor Albert Lai Kwong-tak asked why the government had left the choice of site up to the developers.

"This is not the normal planning procedure and an affront to the planning officials," said Mr Lai. "Only those with land along the waterfront where the value would be enhanced by a cruise terminal will be interested in the project. And with all the technical and engineering studies proponents need to submit, only the biggest and the richest can afford this game."

Developers have until the end of this year to declare an interest, but companies that do not join this exercise will still be able to take part in the tender when it is launched.

The terminal must have at least one berth capable of accommodating the world's largest liner - the 345-metre long Queen Mary II.

Proponents have to submit technical documents to prove the proposed location is feasible and suitable, and that the terminal could be completed before 2011.

Design of the terminal must be compatible with the surrounding areas and take into account public aspirations for the harbour.

In a press release, the government said: "We need to verify if there are suitable locations other than Kai Tak that may enable an earlier development of a cruise terminal to meet the needs of the tourism industry.

"If we cannot identify a suggestion that could meet all our requirements through the expression of interest, the government would not consider any sites other than Kai Tak and would focus on developing a new cruise terminal at Kai Tak."

Cheung Kong (Holdings) proposed last summer to turn a long strip of government land on the Hunghom waterfront, including two hotel sites it owns, into a tourism spot with berthing facilities for international cruise ships.

The property giant, which has a strong property portfolio in the area, declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Wharf Holdings, owner of the city's only cruise terminal, said the group would study the government document in detail before making any decision.

2. Councillors slam estate redevelopment plans
FELIX CHAN, SCMP 4 November 2005

Kwun Tong district councillors yesterday demanded the government rethink its Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate redevelopment, after accusing it of turning the district into a concrete jungle.

More attention should be paid to improving the existing environment rather than worsening it, said the chairwoman of the council's housing committee, Ko Po-ling. She accused the Housing Department of ignoring "the overall development of Kwun Tong and Ngau Tau Kok".

The department proposes a two-phase redevelopment of the estate, one of the city's oldest. Completed in 1967, it had 4,500 flats and 11,000 people.

Half the original 14 blocks have been demolished, clearing 50,000 square metres on which to build four new blocks between 36 and 41 storeys high, which would provide 3,580 flats for 9,000 people.

Plans for the second phase, which will begin once tenants move out of the remaining blocks in 2008 or 2009, have not been finalised yet. However, if the plot ratio is the same as for the first phase - 7.5 - three blocks will be built, providing 2,780 flats.

Work will begin next month on detailed designs for the first phase. Building work will start in 2007 and last three to four years.

The council's housing committee criticised the plan.

Francis Tang Chi-ho said the proposed redevelopment and the massive public housing building programme in the district showed an imbalance in land-use planning.

"In the past, we have been talking about spreading out the population across Hong Kong, but now the government is simply concentrating all the things in one district," he said.

Chan Kwok-wah said there was nothing wrong with building public housing, but the government did not look at the issue from a broad perspective.

The department's senior architect, Emma Shum Yuen-wah, urged the councillors to be more realistic about the situation.

"It would be nice to have enough land in Hong Kong to build public housing and hence ensure the three-year waiting period for public housing is maintained for those in need of it, which is very much a fair expectation," she said.

"However, there are not enough lots of land in the land bank at present to provide such a large number of flats."

Ms Shum insisted the plans were based on solid data, such as the government census.

Committee members agreed to send a letter to the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau demanding the land-use planning for estates be reconsidered.

3. Draft Mong Kok Outline Zoning Plan amended
Hong Kong Government, 4 November 2005

The Town Planning Board today (November 4) announced amendments to the draft Mong Kok Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

The amendments mainly involve the revision of the definitions of 'existing use' and 'existing building' in the Covering Notes of the OZP.

The draft Mong Kok OZP No. S/K3/23, incorporating the amendments, is now available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Planning Enquiry Counters in North Point and Shatin, the Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office and the Yau Tsim Mong District Office.

Any person affected by the amendments can submit a written objection to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before November 25, 2005.

Copies of the draft Mong Kok OZP No. S/K3/23 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 on the Town Planning Board's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb/.