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1. HOS plan will not hurt hotels, says company

2. Trees face the axe at historic colonial site

1. HOS plan will not hurt hotels, says company
SANDY LI, SCMP 3 December 2003

China Real-Estate Development Corp claims its plan to turn 20,000 vacant Home Ownership Scheme flats into apartments catering to mainland tourists could bring in an extra $30 billion a year to Hong Kong.

In an effort to calm the anxiety of hoteliers who have warned Hong Kong's hotel industry could be wiped out by the move, the firm yesterday insisted the proposed time-sharing scheme operation would not create direct competition with hotels.

Wang Yonghe, president of the company's overseas unit China Overseas Real-Estate Development Corp, said the scheme in fact would lure more tourists to Hong Kong.

"We hope to attract three million mainland tourists, whose average spending is $10,000 per visit, to Hong Kong a year if the plan materialises. So, it will create more business for hotels, retailers and other tourism-related industries" Mr Wang said.

"We will not compete with local hotels as no walk-in customers will be served," he said.

The company intends to create a membership scheme entitling those who sign up to stay in HOS-blocks-turned-guesthouses for between one and four weeks, depending on how much they pay.

"Apart from Hong Kong, the members would also be entitled to enjoy our resorts outside China for their vacations," he said.

A mainland time-sharing scheme alliance, which is chaired by company chairman Meng Xiaosu, had recruited more than 100 mainland corporate members in 70 cities, Mr Wang said. But no more details were available.

Although the government has not yet made a decision, Mr Wang said the firm stood a good chance of winning its bid to turn the HOS units into guesthouses.

The company is one of eight to have expressed interest in converting two surplus HOS blocks in Ngau Chi Wan and Yau Tong into guesthouses.

It has not announced how much it is prepared to pay for them.

2. Trees face the axe at historic colonial site
CHEUNG CHI-FAI, SCMP 3 December 2003

Most of the trees surrounding the former marine police headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui will be cut down under plans to turn the historic site into a hotel and piazza for tourists.

Green groups yesterday called for more studies to be done before the trees were destroyed.

Flying Snow Company, a subsidiary of Cheung Kong Holdings, was granted the development project in May after bidding $326 million for 50-year rights to the site.

In an application made on Monday to the Environmental Protection Department for a direct work permit, the company outlined a plan that would retain just 19 of the 192 trees on the site. If approved, it can start construction without any further public consultation.

Flying Snow said the site would become a heritage tourism site recreating a sense of "colonial splendour".

One of the trees that will be preserved is a giant banyan tree at the junction of Salisbury and Canton roads. Twenty-seven trees will be transplanted.

The company said in its application that most of the trees were small and in "average to poor" condition, while some might not survive transplantation.

To make way for the widening of Canton Road, a century-old granite retaining wall would also be demolished. The company said it would consider reusing the granite blocks, but the application did not say how they might be utilised.

Work is expected to begin early next year and be completed by mid-2006.

Jim Chi-yung, an urban tree expert at Hong Kong University, called for an in-depth survey of the trees at the site before any felling took place.

"Unless most of the trees are of common species and small in size, otherwise they should be kept," Professor Jim said. "But it is a pity to see the granite retaining wall go as it is part of the heritage site that should be protected."

Man Chi-sum, the chief executive officer of Green Power, which once proposed converting the site into an eco-tourism project, said the company should carry out a detailed environmental impact assessment.

"What we are worried about is that the site will be fully utilised to its maximum and conservation will be sacrificed as the developer has a top priority to make a profit," he said.

Flying Snow could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The 11,000 square-metre area is famous for its 119-year-old colonial architecture. The project will conserve the headquarters' two-storey main building, located on a small hill, and convert it into a hotel.

New retail facilities will also be built on the site.

To improve access to the hotel and shops, part of the slope will be excavated to ground level, making it easier to get to the proposed piazza from Salisbury Road.

Occupying a strategic location, with uninterrupted views of most of the harbour and Kowloon peninsula, the headquarters were opened in September 1884. They were occupied by the Japanese navy during the second world war.