DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN RENEWAL IN HONG KONG
Over the decades, Hong Kong has adopted different urban renewal strategies and plans to cater for the changing needs of society.
In January 1988, the establishment of Land Development Corporation (LDC) under the relevant ordinance marked the beginning of a more focused and systematic approach to tackling urban decay problems in Hong Kong. Through joint venture partnerships with private developers, the LDC completed 16 projects, commenced 10 projects and announced 25 potential sites for urban renewal. Some successful LDC's redevelopment projects, including Jubilee Street / Queen's Road Central Project (The Center), Wing Lok Street / Queen's Road Central Project (Grand Millennium Plaza) and Argyle Street / Shanghai Street Project (Langham Place), brought new life to decaying districts and benefits to the community, while laying a strong foundation for future urban renewal initiatives. By the end of the 1990s, the urgency of urban renewal was recognised by the community, who supported new initiatives to drive for an efficient, effective and sustainable urban renewal programme for Hong Kong. In 1997, the Chief Executive of HKSAR Government asserted the need to expedite urban renewal in the Policy Address.
In January 1988, the establishment of Land Development Corporation (LDC) under the relevant ordinance marked the beginning of a more focused and systematic approach to tackling urban decay problems in Hong Kong. Through joint venture partnerships with private developers, the LDC completed 16 projects, commenced 10 projects and announced 25 potential sites for urban renewal. Some successful LDC's redevelopment projects, including Jubilee Street / Queen's Road Central Project (The Center), Wing Lok Street / Queen's Road Central Project (Grand Millennium Plaza) and Argyle Street / Shanghai Street Project (Langham Place), brought new life to decaying districts and benefits to the community, while laying a strong foundation for future urban renewal initiatives. By the end of the 1990s, the urgency of urban renewal was recognised by the community, who supported new initiatives to drive for an efficient, effective and sustainable urban renewal programme for Hong Kong. In 1997, the Chief Executive of HKSAR Government asserted the need to expedite urban renewal in the Policy Address.
In June 2000, the Legislative Council passed the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance. In March 2001, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council also endorsed the Government's compensation policy for land resumption, which provided the basis for the URA's compensation policy. The URA was established in May 2001 to undertake, encourage, promote and facilitate urban renewal of Hong Kong, with a view to addressing the problems of urban decay and improving the living conditions of residents in dilapidated areas. The URA steered urban renewal in a new direction, in accordance with guidelines set out in the Government's Urban Renewal Strategy (URS) of November 2001. The URA was required to give priority to the 25 projects previously announced by the LDC in 1988, but not yet commenced.
In view of the changing needs of society, the Government launched an extensive two-year public engagement process on the URS in 2008, to summarise past experience as well as to explore new directions in urban renewal for the future. In February 2011, the Government announced the new URS as a guideline for the URA to embrace new challenges in tackling urban decay. The URA adopts a comprehensive approach by ways of its two core businesses, i.e. redevelopment and rehabilitation, as well as its preservation and revitalisation work to create a sustainable and quality urban living for the people of Hong Kong.
In the long run, however, the current urban renewal approach cannot cope with the urban decay which is moving at a fast pace. New solutions and directions should be explored, with a view to taking urban generation to a new dimension.
In the long run, however, the current urban renewal approach cannot cope with the urban decay which is moving at a fast pace. New solutions and directions should be explored, with a view to taking urban generation to a new dimension.
- improve the living environment of those people residing in dilapidated buildings;
- improve the cityscape of old districts with urban renewal initiatives;
- provide flats that suit the need of the mass market;
- preserve heritage buildings within project sites for maintaining integral parts of the city's history;
- pursue environmentally sustainable development;and
- achieve greater community engagement and ensure sensible use of public resources for a better future.