HONG KONG | West Kowloon Cultural District Development News

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West Kowloon Cultural District: An icon for culture and leisure
http://www.hplb.gov.hk/wkcd/eng/public_consultation/intro.htm

A new cultural district for Hong Kong

The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) will be a landmark development that enhances Hong Kong's position as a world city of culture. The new cultural district will bring together a vibrant mix of performing and visual arts. The 40-hectare waterfront site will be both a showpiece for urban design and a meeting point for the local and international arts communities.

In this cluster of venues and open space, long-term commercial, community and cultural partnerships will encourage a lively arts scene for generations to come. Based on the principle of "partnership", the WKCD will be "community-driven" and "people-oriented".

A grand canopy, providing shade and shelter for the facilities below, will make the complex a new Hong Kong icon. With its sinuously flowing form, this feature was, in February 2002, chosen by an international jury from over 160 entries as the winner of an international concept plan competition. It was adopted as the basis for inviting proposals from the market in September 2003. By June 2004, five proposals had been received, three of which met the basic requirements. These proposals are now being assessed.

The core facilities

* Three theatres with at least 2,000, 800 and 400 seats respectively;
* A performance venue with at least 10,000 seats;
* A cluster of four museums at least 75,000 square metres in size;
* An art exhibition centre at least 10,000 square metres in size;
* A water amphitheatre;
* At least four piazzas; and
* A canopy covering at least 55% of the development area.

Other highlights

The district will integrate commercial and residential development into the arts, cultural and leisure facilities. This integrated approach will ensure more visitors and bring benefits to all the sectors involved.

The district will have at least 20 hectares of parkland and public open space, an area larger than Victoria Park.

The waterfront promenade will be 50% longer than the promenade from the Tsim Sha Tsui clock tower to the Hong Kong Coliseum.

An automated people mover will link the major facilities within the district while public transport will link the district with the business heart of Kowloon.

Where is it?

The development site is bounded by Canton Road in the east, the Western Harbour Tunnel entrance and Austin Road West in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the west and south.

The benefits for Hong Kong

The WKCD will:
* Enrich our cultural life by attracting internationally acclaimed performances and exhibitions;
* Nurture local arts talent and create more opportunities for arts groups;
* Enhance international cultural exchange;
* Put Hong Kong on the world arts and culture map;
* Provide state-of-the-art performance venues and museums;
* Offer more choices to arts patrons;
* Encourage creativity;
* Enhance our harbour front;
* Attract overseas visitors; and
* Create jobs.

What happens next?

The Government will need to take into account public views in negotiations and selection of a preferred proposal. It will then consult the Legislative Council (Legco) and the Town Planning Board (TPB) on the preferred proposal and seek approval from the Executive Council before signing a provisional agreement with the proponent. Next, the Government will submit the agreed development parameters for the proposal to the TPB for incorporation into the draft Outline Zoning Plan (OZP). This will be gazetted for public inspection and comment under the Town Planning Ordinance. The TPB will then make its decision, after considering all representations received, and submit the amended Draft OZP to the Executive Council for approval. The Project Agreement will only be finalised and executed after the completion of this statutory planning procedure and other relevant statutory procedures and approval by the Executive Council.

Once selected, the successful proponent will design, finance and complete the development of the project and operate, maintain and manage the core arts and cultural facilities for 30 years. Construction is expected to begin in April 2007, with the first phase of the project opening in 2011.

Single-development approach

After weighing the pros and cons of single versus split tendering, the Government believes that having a single developer to co-ordinate the project is the best option. Development as a single package is conducive to centralised planning and co-ordination, leading to smoother operation, economies of scale, lower costs and shorter construction lead-time. Splitting the contract could cause problems in aligning the design, construction and schedule of the infrastructure, for example, the canopy and the automated people mover. Split tendering would also create additional costs and delays by forcing the Government to sell separate parcels of land, which could take years, and by increasing the risk of litigation over separate land leases. Under a split-tender model, proceeds from land sales would not necessarily be spent on arts and culture. Hence, development of a cultural district and creation of jobs via the project would not materialise in the short to medium term.

Your views are important in shaping the WKCD

To help the public better understand the screened-in proposals and to facilitate an informed discussion, the Government is staging a consultation exercise with exhibitions, and discussion forums for the public. In response to the request of Legco and having reviewed the progress made in the public consultation exercise, the Government has decided to extend the consultation period to the end of June, 2005. The exhibition was first staged at the Hong Kong Science Museum, Tsim Sha Tsui, from December 16, 2004 to January 31, 2005; then at Hong Kong City Hall in Central from February 5, 2005 to March 28, 2005. The exhibition will continue at the Thematic Galleries 1 & 2, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin, from April 16, 2005 to June 30, 2005.

Please send us your views, as they will be taken into account in negotiations and selection of a preferred proposal. The Government has commissioned an independent academic research institute to analyse and assess views collected in this consultation exercise. The report will be made public.

Proposals

Dynamic Star (http://www.hplb.gov.hk/wkcd/eng/public_consultation/proposals_star.htm)
http://www.hplb.gov.hk/wkcd/eng/images/pc/DyStar_Pamphlet01.gif

Sunny Development (http://www.hplb.gov.hk/wkcd/eng/public_consultation/proposals_sunny.htm)
http://www.hplb.gov.hk/wkcd/eng/images/pc/sunny_pamphlet.gif

World City Culture Park (http://www.hplb.gov.hk/wkcd/eng/public_consultation/proposals_wc.htm)
http://www.hplb.gov.hk/wkcd/eng/images/pc/worldcity_Pamphlet.gif

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Background

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The Concept Plan Competition (http://www.hplb.gov.hk/competition/index.html) for the Development of an Integrated Arts, Cultural and Entertainment District at the West Kowloon Reclamation, Hong Kong, organized by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, was concluded successfully in February 2002. Five entries out of 161 were awarded prizes.

The Government intends to proceed with development of such a district and has adopted the first prize winning entry to the concept plan competition, submitted by a team led by Foster and Partners of the UK, as the basis for the masterplan.

On 5 September 2003, the Government announced an Invitation For Proposals for the Development of the West Kowloon Cultural District. The area of the site earmarked for the new district is about 40 hectares. While the Government requires provision of certain specified facilities, proponents are allowed considerable freedom in developing viable proposals. The project provides a rare opportunity for the planning, design, construction and operation of a major integrated development of world class cultural and commercial facilities.

The invitation is open internationally to proponents experienced in developing, marketing and managing major mixed-use property developments. The deadline for submission of proposals is 19 June 2004.

Concept Plan Competition

This Competition invites conceptual proposals for the development of a prominent waterfront area (the Scheme Area) at the West Kowloon Reclamation (WKR) in Hong Kong into an integrated arts, cultural and entertainment district. The objective is, through the development, to enhance Hong Kong's position as Asia's premiere centre of arts, culture and entertainment and create a new look for Victoria Harbour.

The Scheme Area is a newly reclaimed site of 40 hectares at the southern tip of the WKR in Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong.

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The Proposals

The concept plan proposals should provide vision and innovative and viable ideas that will shape the future development of this waterfront area as a unique attraction for both local people and visitors. The proposals should be aesthetically attractive, functional, broadly feasible and in compliance with the policy objectives of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the HKSARG) in promoting arts and culture.

Development of Scheme Area

There is no linkage between the Competition and the eventual development right of the Scheme Area. It is the intention of the HKSARG that following the Competition, a team will be appointed through the normal consultants selection process, to finalize a detailed masterplan for the Scheme Area on the basis of the winning conceptual proposals, if appropriate. Winners of the Competition would be automatically pre-qualified for inclusion in the list of consultants to be invited for bidding for the masterplanning work.

Based on the detailed masterplan, the HKSARG will then decide on how the Scheme Area will be developed. Packages within the Scheme Area suitable for private sector development will be decided by public tender, which will be open to all. Subsequent architectural design competitions may be conducted for selected individual buildings/facilities. Winners of the Competition would also be invited to take part in bids for development and informed of the subsequent architectural design competitions for individual buildings/facilities in the Scheme Area.

First Prize Winner : Entry submitted by a team led by Foster and Partners

The Jury felt that this submission, more than any other, fulfilled the purpose of the competition to define a conceptual architectural plan to establish Hong Kong as a city of world class arts and cultural activity. The signature feature of the design, a great canopy, "flows over the various spaces contained within the development" to create a unique landmark. The sinuously flowing form of the site contours and the canopy produce a memorable effect.

The master layout plan, even at this conceptual level, organizes the site to take full advantage of its prime waterfront location and its proximity to Kowloon Park and the Canton Road retail district. The primary components of the design include a cultural hub of auditoria, museums, galleries and performance venues along with a dense collection of shops, bars and retail spaces. The combination of uses proposed lends a great vitality to the scheme, and a continuous promenade along the smooth curvature of the waterfront further enhances the development for cultural and commercial purposes.

In particular, eight aspects distinguish the winning scheme.

The first is the singularity of image, offering coherent visual authority and something that will become immediately recognizable with Hong Kong and an icon around the world. The image is also progressive, well suited for Hong Kong in the 21st Century.

The second aspect is the horizontality of the scheme across the site that does not attempt to compete with but rather counterpoints the tall buildings behind.

The third aspect is the presence of a multiplicity of public-space opportunities at various scales.

The fourth is the introduction of substantial green space into the heart of Hong Kong, both symbolically and as a real amenity for citizens.

The fifth aspect is the logical and imaginative deployment of programmatic elements and the inherent idea of drawing people through the commercial and entertainment portion of the complex to the arts and cultural centre beyond. The scheme also allows for a good balance between public and private interests and, in particular, the mix of arts facilities offered. One aspect of the project which gave rise to concern was the lagoon which struck the Jury as perhaps impractical. However, this concern would not negate the construction of a similar public space, including a water body disconnected from the harbour.

The sixth distinguishing aspect of the scheme is the skilful way in which integration can be achieved with surrounding neighbourhoods and complexes. The links to Kowloon Station and to Kowloon Park, in the east, are particularly good examples, as is the people mover supporting this linkage.

The seventh aspect is the viability of the scheme, which is technically straightforward, consisting of a large mall, two taller structures at either end of the site - one associated with the arts and cultural complex - and a large roof that is well within the ambit of known technology and experience.

Finally, as the eighth aspect, the jury was impressed by the well-argued case in support of the scheme.

In conclusion, the Jury felt that this bold scheme is a clear and deserving winner of the competition. The great canopy would create an unmistakable landmark for Hong Kong. It would be a major tourist attraction. It would symbolize the community's vision of their city as a future centre of arts and culture and realise that vision with great style.

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Second Prize Winner : Entry submitted by a team led by Mr Philip Y K LIAO

The Jury felt that this submission has immense energy and dynamism in its bold horizontal architectural forms and is well suited to the vibrant nature of Hong Kong. It has many interesting ideas. Imaginative contouring of the site produces a waterfront park and green oases within the landscape. The extensive use of water-pools, waterfalls and mists - as a landscape element - is prevalent throughout the master plan and culminates in a spinal waterway running the length of the scheme area, effectively bringing a part of Victoria Harbour onto the site.

In several regards, the second prize-winning scheme has similar features to the winning submission, including a general feeling of horizontality, a multiplicity of environments and a coherent programmatic response. Although the expressive architectural language is different, the second place scheme does also offer a distinctive image with a progressive spirit. The well-articulated arts and cultural complex is notable, although, on balance, the scheme lacks the expressive authority of the winner and is less straightforward in accommodating some programmatic components.

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Honourable Mentions (3) (of equal standing):

Three schemes were selected by the Jury for Honourable Mentions because they offered interesting alternative ways in which the site could be tackled.

Entry submitted by a team led by Professor Minoru TAKEYAMA

The Jury awarded an honourable mention to this entry (the "Jewel scheme") for its elegant and well-balanced simplicity and the appropriate distinctions it draws between cultural and commercial uses.

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Entry submitted by a team led by Mr Alan MACDONALD, Urbis - LPT (Architects) Association

The Jury awarded an honourable mention to this entry (the "West End scheme") for the manner in which it provided a "fieldscape" of a fine grain of individual buildings, landscapes and public spaces. This feature is intended to create a vibrant congenial area of individual galleries and theatres on a par with the lively West End area of London.

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Entry submitted by a team led by Mr Rocco Sen Kee YIM

The Jury awarded an honourable mention to this entry (the "New Leaf scheme") for its innovative design and the unifying feature of a circulation spine connecting and providing access to all the many activities on the site. This design also took great advantage of a multi-level urban promenade along the waterfront. It also proposed an upbeat, media-oriented image and took explicit advantage of the site's location and public outlook back towards central Hong Kong. All in all, a very lively and compelling solution.

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[michal1982]

when construction will start??

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when construction will start??
Originally, construction is expected to begin in 2006, but the project is under public scrutiny and might be delayed.

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Speech on West Kowloon Reclamation Concept Plan Competition
Thursday, February 28, 2002
Government Press Release

The following is a speech (English only) delivered by the Secretary for Planning and Lands, Mr John C. Tsang, at the cocktail reception in honour of the Jury for the West Kowloon Reclamation Concept Plan Competition this evening (February 28):

Lord Rothschild, Members of the Jury, Ladies and Gentlemen,

If I can divert you for a few moments from your keen interest in the winning entries, I would like to welcome you all to this cocktail reception in honour of the Jury for the West Kowloon Reclamation Concept Plan Competition.

The aim of the competition is to identify innovative concepts for the development of an arts, cultural and entertainment district in Hong Kong that is of outstanding architectural merit and has the facilities to place us firmly on the international cultural map. We are looking for an urban miracle. We intend to turn this piece of land reclaimed from our precious harbour in West Kowloon into a cultural oasis that will enrich the lives of our citizens, attract visitors from neighbouring cities and enhance even further one of the most beautiful skylines in the world with distinguished landmark built forms.

Over the past few days - since Sunday, in fact - the Jury has been meeting behind closed doors in City Hall, conscientiously sifting through the 161 entries to the competition to find those with the potential to realise our objective.

I am reliably informed that the Jury had a debate worthy of the heights that we are aiming for. The Jury's decision was announced to the world in a live broadcast on the internet this afternoon by Lord Rothschild, the Chairman of the Jury, and we have the good fortune to be among the first to see the winning entries.

We are, indeed, honoured to have Lord Rothschild as the Chairman of the Jury. He has impeccable credentials to serve in this capacity, being a member of the Jury for the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize.

We are also pleased to be able to bring together in the Jury members prominent in the fields of architecture, culture and heritage, engineering, planning, strategic development and tourism. I would like to recognize each one of them:

Lord Rothschild
Professor Peter Droege
Mr Peter Rogers
Professor Peter Rowe
Professor WU Liangyong
Mr Nicholas Brooke
Professor CHANG Hsin-kang
Hon Mrs Selina CHOW Liang Shuk-yee
Professor Patrick LAU Sau Shing
Hon LEUNG Chun-ying

On behalf of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I would like to commend and extend our warmest appreciation to Lord Rothschild, the jurors, the Honorary Special Advisor Mr I M Pei who is not able to join us today, and the Professional Advisor to the competition, Mr Bill Lacy, for their hard work serving on the Jury and their contribution to promoting the arts and cultural development in Hong Kong.

Thank you very much.

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West Kowloon Reclamation Concept Plan Competition

Speech by Lord Rothschild, GBE, Chairman of the Jury,
at a Press Conference held at 3.45 pm on 28 February 2002
at the Central Government Offices, Hong Kong,
announcing the winning entries to the Competition

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to be here with you today on such an important occasion. I am privileged to have been asked to serve as Chairman of this distinguished Jury.

The main purpose of the International Jury that the Hong Kong Government assembled was to choose a scheme for the West Kowloon Reclamation Project of such interest and distinction that it would establish Hong Kong as a true world-class city of arts and culture.

May I thank the Secretary for Planning and Lands, Mr John C Tsang for his help and support. The Jury would like to express its appreciation to him for having given us a remarkable opportunity.

We saw as a key objective a scheme which would create an unmistakable architectural symbol for Hong Kong, an image recognized throughout the world.

We could never have accomplished our goal without the immense help we have received at every stage from the Hong Kong Government - both politicians and officials believe passionately in the development of the West Kowloon site.

One measure of the success of the competition is that no less than 161 architecture and planning practices submitted schemes : 90 from overseas, 71 locally. This was a tremendous response.

Let me say something about the process.

In keeping with Hong Kong policy, the Competition was open to all qualified participants and the applicants were anonymous to the Jury. In fact no member of the Jury knew the individual identity of the winning schemes until noon today, although we made our choice yesterday.

After much deliberation and thought throughout this week the Jury overwhelmingly concluded that we had found the entry most likely to deliver the key objectives we were seeking. Altogether we are awarding 5 prizes; I would like to start by showing the schemes of the 3 Honourable Mentions and the Runner-Up.

Here are brief comments on the 3 honourable mention schemes:

Jewel Scheme

A team led by Professor Minoru TAKEYAMA

The Jury awarded an honourable mention to this entry for its elegant and well-balanced simplicity and the appropriate distinctions it draws between cultural and commercial uses.

West End Scheme

A joint team led by Mr Alan MACDONALD, Urbis-LPT (Architects) Association

This honourable mention was notable for the manner in which it provided a "fieldscape" of a fine grain of individual buildings, landscapes and public spaces. This feature is intended to create a vibrant congenial area of individual galleries and theatres on a par with the lively West End area of London.

New Leaf Scheme

A team led by Mr Rocco Sen Kee YIM

An honourable mention from the Jury was given to this entry for its innovative design, and the unifying feature of a circulation spine connecting and providing access to all the many activities on the site. This design also took great advantage of a multi-level urban promenade along the waterfront. It also proposed an upbeat, media-oriented image and took explicit advantage of the site's location and public outlook back towards central Hong Kong. All in all, a very lively and compelling solution.

I will now tell you briefly about the scheme of the Runner-Up.

2nd Prize

A team led by Mr Philip Y K LIAO

This submission has immense energy and dynamism in its bold horizontal architectural forms and is well suited to the vibrant nature of Hong Kong. It has many interesting ideas. Imaginative contouring of the site produces a waterfront park and green oases within the landscape. The extensive use of water-pools, waterfalls and mists - as a landscape element - is prevalent throughout the master plan and culminates in a spinal waterway running the length of the scheme area, effectively bringing a part of Victoria Harbour onto the site.

Now, let me turn finally to the winning scheme.

1st Prize

A team led by Foster and Partners

The Jury felt that this submission, more than any other, fulfilled the purpose of the competition. The signature feature of the design, a great canopy, "flows over the various spaces contained within the development" area to create a unique iconic landmark. The canopy employs the latest design and construction techniques and creates under its dramatically fluid form a great spatial volume to accommodate open park spaces shared with individual cultural, residential and commercial buildings.

The master plan takes full advantage of the prime waterfront location and its proximity to Kowloon Park and the Canton Road retail district. The sinuously flowing form of the site contours and the canopy produce a memorable effect. The lagoon, though a relatively weak point in the design, in the opinion of the Jury, might easily be redesigned, without affecting the arts and cultural facilities encircling it or detracting from the overall excellence of the scheme.

The primary components of the design include a cultural hub of auditoria, museums, galleries and performance venues as well as a dense collection of shops, bars and retail spaces. The multitude of proposed uses lends a great vitality to the scheme. A continuous promenade along the smooth curvature of the waterfront simply enhances further the attraction of the scheme and its possibilities for development both for cultural purposes and retail and commercial uses.

The construction of the large roof structure is similar in concept to certain international air and rail terminals constructed in recent years and would create an unmistakable landmark for Hong Kong. The horizontality of the scheme contrasts well with the predominant verticality of the city behind.

The Jury felt that this bold and the carefully analyzed scheme was the deserving winner of the competition and would be a major tourist attraction. It would symbolize the community's vision of their city as a future world centre of arts and culture and realize that vision with great style.

There are three questions which I am sure will be paramount in your minds. First what will the winning scheme cost? Two, who will pay for it? And Three, what will be the benefits?

Let me stress that the scheme presented will need extensive development this will take place over the next few months. The details of competition submissions will be made available to you over this period. The submissions will be the subject of a public exhibition.

On costs. The winning scheme estimated preliminary construction costs at 24 billion HK$. The scheme calculates that recurring annual revenues would generate roughly 2.5 billion HK$.

Who will pay for all this?

The project represents unique opportunities to operate a range of public and private facilities within one development in a way that the entire development could function in a seamless and integrated manner.

How this will be achieved must be for the Government of Hong Kong and the private sector to devise.

Finally, who will benefit? We have seen on a number of occasions over the last few years, how a cultural and architectural landmark of integrity and distinction can bring about dramatic economic and regenerative benefits to a place, to tourism, and to the people who live there. Bilbao comes to mind so does the impact in London of the Tate Modern Museum in the previously run-down area of the South Bank. Looking back, we can but recall the phenomenal effect of the Centre-Pompidou in Paris.

I would be surprised if a development on this scale and of such quality on the West Kowloon site would not have a dramatic impact for Hong Kong and the people who live here and those who will visit this already wonderful city.

Let me end by thanking my colleagues on the Jury, Mr Bill Lacy and Mr I M Pei, our Professional Advisors, and the staff of the Planning and Lands Bureau.

I would now like to relinquish the podium to a member of the Jury who lives here, for the last word. I am going to ask Mrs. Selina Chow, Chairman of the Tourism Board, to express her feelings about the project and its benefit to the community.

Thank you very much!

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Greens attack West Kowloon plan changes
Keith Wallis
30 July 2003
Hong Kong Standard

Green groups are up in arms over "very naughty" plans by the government to change the use of a 45-hectare swathe of waterfront on the West Kowloon reclamation from open space to "other specified uses".

Their opposition stems partly from the relatively short period of time the Town Planning Board (TPB) has allowed for objections to the plans. Any objections have to be lodged by Friday - just three weeks after the proposed amendments were published in the Government Gazette.

"It's very naughty," Society for Protection of the Harbour chairman Winston Chu said yesterday.

The society, which won a court case against the government earlier this month over its plans for the second phase of the Wan Chai reclamation, is one of at least two groups which object to the amendments.

The changes, which are intended to pave the way for the development of the Norman Foster-inspired arts, cultural and entertainment complex, have also been criticised because of the lack of subsequent planning controls if they are approved.

Under the TPB guidelines, once the changes are made the government would be free to go ahead and develop residential and office towers, information technology and telecommunications industries, schools and training centres.

So far, the harbour protection society chaired by Chu, and Civic Exchange, the public-policy think tank created by former legislator Christine Loh, have confirmed they plan to object.

Chu said: "If the change in zoning to other uses is approved, a third of the West Kowloon site will be without any statutory planning controls."

He added that if the change in use was given the green light there "would be no public objection process, no opportunity to make amendments or for the TPB to disallow them" to whatever the government subsequently decided to build.

Consequently there "would be no height controls, no plot ratio controls, and anything goes. It's such a large site, the government could decide to build twenty 88-storey towers and there isn't anything anybody could do about it," Chu said.

He believed the board would be abrogating and delegating its powers and responsibilities by giving so much power to the government on such a massive site.

Chu said the government's fickleness over the chequered history of the Tamar site in Admiralty showed controls needed to be maintained otherwise the planning process would be brought into disrepute.

The Tamar development was initially earmarked for commercial building in the mid-1990s. Later it was zoned for government, institutional and community use in 1999, subsequently reverting to a commercial site.

According to the gazette notice, the TPB plans to make five changes to the original southwest Kowloon plan.

The first is to widen the area covered by the site to include the Tsim Sha Tsui fire station complex and part of Canton Road.

Secondly, it plans to rezone a stretch of the waterfront from commercial, residential, open space, government institution or community, a pier, road and support buildings, to "other specified uses" - arts, cultural, commercial and entertainment uses.

The board also wants to rezone the fire station from government to other specified uses and a strip of land in the Yau Ma Tei public cargo working area from road to government, institutional or community use.

The Foster scheme, which is being amended by the government, includes a cultural hub of museums, galleries and performance venues along with a shopping precinct under a tent-shaped roof.

[hkskyline]

HK Govt To Make 70% Of HK$24B Cultural Devt For Comml Use
5 September 2003

HONG KONG - (Dow Jones)- The Hong Kong government said Friday it plans to devote more than half the space at a planned HK$24 billion cultural development to residential and commercial use in order to make the project self-financing.

The government said it is inviting proposals for construction of the "West Kowloon Cultural District" - a reclaimed 40-hectare waterfront site that is to be turned into an arts and cultural complex.

The winning bidder will be required to design, finance, build and manage the project, although proposals must follow guidelines set out by the government.

A total gross floor area of 726,285 square meter is planned for the key development components, but 70% of that will be set aside for offices, hotels, retail space and residential use.

Core arts and culture facilities will make up 29% of the total gross floor area. Such space will have to include three theaters, a 10,000-seat performance venue, and an art exhibition center.

A giant glass canopy is to cover at least 55% of the site.

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang said he expects the project to be self-financing, with income generated from residential and commercial components, although he stressed economic considerations were second in importance.

"The ultimate aim of the project is to build a world class artistic and cultural icon for Hong Kong," said Tsang. "We won't allow the project to become a property project."

Most of Hong Kong's property giants are interested in the massive project. Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. (H.SHP) defeated a long list of competitors to win the conceptual planning competition for the project in early 2002.

-By Chan Ka Sing, Dow Jones Newswires; 852-2802-7002; ks.chan@dowjones.com

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Statement by CS
Friday, September 5, 2003
Government Press Release

Following is the Statement by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Donald Tsang, at a press conference announcing the Invitation for Proposals for the development of the West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong today (September 5):

Today, I am very happy to announce that the Government is inviting proposals from the private sector to develop our very own cultural icon - that is, the West Kowloon Cultural District. We already have an exciting, world-class concept for the site and now we are going to turn the vision into reality.

It is all part of our positioning as Asia's world city. We want Hong Kong to be the most vibrant hub for culture, arts and entertainment in the region. When completed, state-of-the-art facilities will provide residents and visitors with a wide range of cultural and leisure pursuits. Our local artists will also have a creative hive in which to further develop their talent.

The magnificent, flowing canopy sheltering the development area will become a new Hong Kong icon. Cultural and commercial facilities on the site will not only draw more tourists to Hong Kong, it will help attract more world-renowned performers and add to our attraction as the most cosmopolitan and dynamic international business centre in Asia.

We expect the project to bring substantial, long-term economic benefits to Hong Kong and, in the short term, provide about 6,000 jobs.

In keeping with our philosophy of 'small government', we are going to invite the private sector to finance, construct and run this project. This is the first time we have invited the private sector to build and operate major arts and cultural facilities. We believe the private sector will be able to run these facilities more cost effectively, and will also enjoy greater flexibility to finance, develop and manage them. We are confident that the private sector will be interested in the project if it is offered as a commercial package that provides enough flexibility to produce a workable scheme.

You can see from the picture behind me what we have in mind. This shows the 'Government's baseline' of the site. The future development envisages : -

* performance venues, museums and some residential development in a cultural headland at the western end of the site

* a multi-level complex of entertainment and retail facilities in the middle of the site

* a commercial gateway at Canton Road with high rise developments

* extensive open space for public use comprising a podium park, landscaped terraces and a waterfront promenade

* an automated people mover running from one end of the site to the other; and

* a spectacular canopy.

The 'Government's baseline' is intended as a starting point for proponents. But, these parameters are not fixed. Proponents may suggest a higher development density or a different mix if they provide acceptable justification and do not compromise the character of our baseline scheme. This provides proponents with flexibility in the design of the main revenue-producing parts of the project, while the canopy limits the intensity of development that can be proposed.

I must stress that, while property development is essential to the project's viability, we will not allow the cultural facilities to play second fiddle. There are certain mandatory requirements that must be complied with. Apart from the canopy, these include the provision of the following core arts and cultural facilities -

* a complex of three theatres with seating capacities of at least 2,000 seats, 800 seats and 400 seats

* a performance venue with a seating capacity of at least 10,000 seats

* a museum cluster comprising four museums of differing themes with total net operating floor area of at least 75,000 square metres

* an art and exhibition centre with net operating floor area of at least 10,000 square metres

* a water amphitheatre and at least four piazza areas.

We are particularly keen that these core facilities should be architecturally distinguished. We will monitor their operation to ensure that they maintain the highest standard. Proponents of course can also propose additional arts and cultural facilities.

Development proposals have to cover the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, management, marketing and promotion of the new district. The deadline for proposals is March 19, 2004, that is about six months from now.

We will assess the proposals in accordance with the criteria set out in the invitation document. Everything will be on a level playing field. There will be a process of short-listing and negotiation before selection of the successful proponent by the Chief Executive in Council.

We envisage entering into a provisional agreement first, and subsequently a project agreement, with the successful proponent, on the basis of a 50-year land grant.

We expect construction to start by April 2006 and that the theatre complex, the water amphitheatre and the piazzas should come into operation by early 2010, with the performance venue and art exhibition centre by end 2010 and the museum cluster by end 2012. Generally, the phasing of the other parts of the development will be left to the developer.

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Arts groups dubious of proposal
6 September 2003
South China Morning Post

Arts groups are sceptical about the government's proposal to redevelop West Kowloon and transform it into a cultural hub.

Ada Wong Ying-kay, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Institute of Contemporary Culture, warned the proposal was focusing too much on physical facilities and not on the art itself.

"It's still the same 'hardware' mentality on building but with arts, it's really the software, the programming and creative projects that matter."

Ms Wong said the government should try to set up independent bodies to run the cultural venues such as museums. "We don't want civil servants or the private sector to run them completely."

Claire Hsu, executive director of private research group Asia Art Archive, said: "I don't think you can build culture like that - build the buildings and hope the arts would come. It's quite worrying. We don't have trained people with the expertise."

Art gallery owner John Batten warned that another plan, also by the government, to redevelop the Central police station and surrounding areas with cultural facilities would conflict with the West Kowloon plan.

"Location is very important and traditionally, commercial arts have tended to develop in Central," he said. "I am not against the West Kowloon development but you need people to live in the area for an art location to build up. Right now it's wasteland." Alex Lo.

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$24b cultural hub to be privatised
By Peter Michael
6 September 2003
South China Morning Post

Donald Tsang opens the West Kowloon project to developers' proposals, vowing that the arts won't play second fiddle The multi-billion West Kowloon redevelopment, aimed at turning Hong Kong into the region's "cultural and artistic hub", will be funded, built and operated by the private sector under a radical plan unveiled yesterday.

The massive project, which has a 30-hectare roof designed by acclaimed architect Lord Norman Foster as its centrepiece, will be offered as a single commercial proposition instead of developed piecemeal, Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said yesterday.

"This is not another property development project. It is about developing a new cultural icon for Hong Kong," Mr Tsang said as he opened the project for development proposals.

"We want Hong Kong to be the most vibrant hub for culture, the arts and leisure in the region."

Previous estimates have put the project's cost at $24 billion.

A developer would have to work within the "baseline" of Lord Foster's design, Mr Tsang said. Included under the world's biggest roof would be a complex of parks, piazzas, theatres, museums, shops and apartments. However, some elements of the original design, unveiled last year, are optional.

Mr Tsang declared the project open to proposals of interest from consortiums, designers and architects until March 19 next year. "We have a world-class concept for the site and now we are going to turn it into reality," he said.

Mandatory features include a three-theatre complex, a 10,000-seat performance venue, a cluster of four museums with differing themes, an art exhibition centre, a water amphitheatre, at least four piazza areas, landscaped terraces, a commercial section, a 1.5km automated people mover and a 2.5km waterfront promenade.

It also includes the transparent roof which will be spread over the equivalent of about 25 soccer pitches, covering most of the 40-hectare site.

"We are certain that the magnificent flowing canopy overarching a sprawling complex of shops, theatres and parks will help this become one of the icons of Hong Kong. The government is confident there are many global consortiums keen to finance, develop and operate the privatised project," Mr Tsang said.

"We believe if we offer the private sector the chance to finance and build this facility, they will be able to run it more efficiently and with greater flexibility if it is offered as one entire commercial package. However we will not allow any of the proposals to compromise the baseline of our scheme."

In addition to stemming government spending, the decision to fully privatise the project is an attempt to combat the traditional problem of piecemeal development experienced by other large-scale projects in Hong Kong.

Mr Tsang also vowed that the cultural facilities would not be allowed to "play second fiddle" to any commercial ventures, such as apartment blocks or luxury shops. It has been estimated the project will create more than 6,000 jobs, with construction due to start in April 2006. The first phase is to be operational by early 2010, with the project fully completed in 2012.

Under the funding plan, a developer would offer an up-front premium for a 50-year lease or they could work out a revenue-sharing scheme, Mr Tsang said. "These are the sorts of issues that we need to negotiate with interested parties."

He said the government had spent more than $16 million on the project to date with a further $440 million earmarked for roadworks and infrastructure.

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Source : http://www.pbase.com/framewerkz/
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Ambitious arts project gets down to business
8 September 2003
South China Morning Post

The $24 billion plan to transform an expensive piece of reclaimed land in West Kowloon into a vibrant entertainment complex complete with museums, concert halls, exhibition centres and theatres - all under the world's biggest roof designed by Sir Norman Foster - is nothing if not ambitious. But perhaps the most ambitious part of the project was revealed by Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang Yam-kuen last Friday: it is to be funded, constructed, and managed entirely by the private sector.

By taking a back seat and giving private enterprise the responsibility for establishing the Western Kowloon Cultural District, officials are sticking to their "small government" philosophy. This involves retreating from the market and encouraging entrepreneurs to step in and provide services traditionally paid for out of public funds. The approach is an admirable one, especially at a time when we need to cut costs in order to help tackle the spiralling fiscal deficit.

The challenge will lie in successfully adapting this principle to the arts world, where special considerations apply. Our developers are well used to establishing hotels, shopping malls and housing estates. However, building not just one but a number of world-class museums and filling them with unrivalled collections of pan-Asian treasures is not a normal part of their activities. Nor is the staging of pop concerts, classic operas or Shakespearean plays, or bringing hit Broadway shows to Hong Kong.

The arts are not known for their money-spinning potential. Many projects have great cultural value, yet make losses. Without government subsidies, most of Hong Kong's existing performance venues would be unable to survive on meagre corporate sponsorship and fees from concert audiences and museum-goers.

Yet, turning Hong Kong into a vibrant hub for culture, arts and entertainment in the region need not be an impossible dream. High-brow critics may regard Hong Kong as a cultural desert, but the city can rightly take pride in being the Canto-pop and film production capital of the Chinese-speaking world. Our middle class may have been temporarily traumatised by six years of deflation, but its appreciation of the arts is growing by the day.

Already, tourists from the mainland, Taiwan and Southeast Asia are drawn to Hong Kong by concerts put on by stars such as Anita Mui and Andy Lau. With growing wealth and relaxed travel restrictions, more and more mainlanders will be able to afford such travel. A larger audience pool and bigger venues at the new cultural complex in West Kowloon should mean better economies of scale - and higher profits - for promoters as well as venue owners. Promoters who want to bring big shows from overseas but have so far been constrained by a lack of suitable premises should also find it easier to make such projects viable. Whether the shows target a niche audience or the masses, they should all benefit from the bigger and better-equipped facilities to be built at West Kowloon.

The key to making the new cultural complex pay for itself lies in striking a balance between staging lucrative events that will pull in the crowds and offering a diverse range of attractions. That will depend on the forming of a close and effective working relationship between private enterprise, the arts community and the public.

Corporate sponsorship will have a vital role to play. Unfortunately, Hong Kong has a poor record in this regard. We need our own equivalent of the Guggenheims and the Rockefellers to help blaze a trail. Hopefully, the chance to turn the West Kowloon site into Asia's leading cultural and entertainment hub will prove to be the catalyst we need.

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Watchdog sought to keep eye on cultural hub project
Chloe Lai
19 September 2003
South China Morning Post

A watchdog group consisting of members of the cultural community, architects and management experts is needed to monitor the planned multi-billion-dollar West Kowloon cultural hub, according to a senior government adviser.

The chairman of the Land and Building Advisory Committee, Yeung Yue-man, said members agreed it would be essential to have a quasi-governmental authority composed of such experts to keep an eye on the massive project.

Under a radical plan, the project will be funded and managed by a single consortium or company.

There have been concerns about the amount of power being granted to the firm that wins the tender to transform West Kowloon into a cultural hub.

The massive project, under a 30-hectare roof designed by Lord Norman Foster as its centrepiece, will be offered as a single commercial proposition; the winning bidder will have management rights for 30 years.

"The idea of turning West Kowloon into a world-class cultural and artistic hub is very good ... but it is crucial that the whole idea can be implemented smoothly, so we need an authority to do the monitoring work," Professor Yeung said.

He said the authority should have power and credibility so it would have the community's respect.

Chris Law, convenor of the Urban Regeneration Task Force, said there must be an independent body to monitor the West Kowloon development.

"Every university has a board to monitor its operation. The same logic should apply to the West Kowloon development work," he said.

Professor Yeung said the authority should be permanent.

"Take a look at other harbour development projects in the rest of the world, there must be an authority to monitor their work. There is one in Sydney and one in Vancouver," he said.

The chairman also said some members of the committee did not agree with the government's decision to make the development a single commercial proposition.

"Some members questioned the feasibility of treating the 40-hectare site as a single proposition. They think it would be more feasible to break down the whole project into several smaller works," Professor Yeung said.

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Culture clash looms for West Kowloon
Chloe Lai
24 September 2003
South China Morning Post

Culture clash looms for West Kowloon An alliance of arts and planning experts says the project is at risk of producing a 'developer's colony', not a cultural hub.

A battle is looming over the proposed West Kowloon "cultural hub" as architects, planners, artists and academics band together against the government's game plan for the project.

They warned that the idea of granting a single consortium the right to run the 40-hectare site for 30 years was equivalent to ceding West Kowloon to a developer and turning an area the size of a new town into a "developer's colony".

One architectural expert said the government's guidelines left open the possibility that up to 7,600 flats could be built on the site - more the 10 times the official goal.

The People's Council on Sustainable Development, an alliance of 40-plus non-governmental organisations, professionals and social activists, recently met to discuss the campaign's strategy.

Albert Lai Kwong-tak, chairman of the council, said: "The people are being forced to give up our right to administer West Kowloon. In the future, it will be up to the property developer (hellip) to decide who can be a resident."

The alliance called on the government to suspend the project temporarily and come up with a new game plan, which would allow public participation and best protect the interests of the people.

A forum on the project is being prepared to better inform the public about the issue. The groups are trying to raise the issue with the semi-official Council for Sustainable Development.

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen unveiled the plans early this month aimed at creating a world-class arts and cultural hub. Due for completion in 2012, the project will include theatres, museums, commercial and residential properties.

The chief secretary stressed the best development option was to have the private sector fund the entire project in return for the right to operate West Kowloon for 30 years.

But Mr Lai - who coined the term "developer's colony" for the possible outcome of the project - questioned how much bargaining power the government would have after granting the project to one consortium.

He said upsetting the developer might jeopardise the whole project.

For the best interests of Hong Kong, the project should be broken down into smaller works, Mr Lai said.

The Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) criticised the current arrangement as full of flaws and a violation of the land administration policy.

Bernard Lim Wan-fung, the HKIA's board of local affairs chairman, said every construction in Hong Kong is subject to the Building Covenant, which required developers to sell their developments within a set period of time, usually three to five years. "The developer (would be able) to bypass the law because, with the right to run a piece of land for 30 years, it can sell its development at whatever time it prefers, leaving it the ability to manipulate supply," he said.

Mr Lim questioned Mr Tsang's proposition that only 500 to 600 residential units would be built within the cultural district, claiming the 1.81 plot ratio could result in 7,600 units.

Legislator Emily Lau Wai-hing said she had requested a meeting of Legco's home affairs panel and the planning, lands and works panel so concerns could be voiced.

Ng Mee-kam, an associate professor on urban planning and environmental management at the University of Hong Kong, said the government had hijacked West Kowloon and "handed it to a developer" and would seal all information about the project "in the name of commercial interests".

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HK aims to become the region's hub for culture
Ravina Shamdasani
30 September 2003
South China Morning Post

It is forging agreements with its Asian neighbours and Egypt to boost its image Hong Kong is looking to develop its international image through the signing of cultural co-operation agreements with neighbouring countries and Egypt.

The Home Affairs Bureau is developing memoranda of understanding with Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and Egypt after signing an agreement with the Philippines in February.

Hong Kong yesterday hosted the first Asian cultural co-operation forum in an effort to promote the city as a regional culture hub.

Assistant Secretary for Home Affairs Fong Ngai said: "A memorandum of understanding is basically a formal agreement on cultural co-operation that will bring such co-operation to government level.

"Through that, we can strengthen and put an emphasis on two-way cultural exchanges and explore a higher level of co-operation."

Delegates from Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation countries, including Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and the mainland, flew to Hong Kong for the forum.

Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho Chi-ping told dignitaries at the conference that Hong Kong would always be open as a cultural hub for Asia and the rest of the world.

"In the wake of globalisation and a knowledge-based economy, culture and creativity is increasingly seen as an engine for growth and civic pride," Dr Ho said.

"The message is clear enough: the creative business is a global business with local flavours. And by global, we mean we should first start with the good neighbours at our doorstep. As a hub of Asia ... the door of Hong Kong is always wide open."

Singaporean National Arts Council chairman Liu Thai Ker said that the cultural and artistic achievements of the city state and the region showed that Asian culture could stand up well against the trend of globalisation.

Chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in the Philippines, Evelyn Pantig, shared her country's experiences in providing opportunities to underprivileged children through dance training. She emphasised the importance of nurturing young talent.

The founder of the City Contemporary Dance Company, Willy Tsao, told how he started the group by pooling together money and friends to build a rooftop studio to try to fill a performing arts vacuum in Hong Kong in the late 1970s.

A promotional video with an artist's impression of the planned West Kowloon cultural district was played at the conference, which organisers hope will become a regular event.

Mr Fong said that such conferences provided a good platform to explore initiatives between neighbouring governments and economies.

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Developers split over cultural job
7 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

An attempt by the Real Estate Developers Association (Reda) to convince the government to allow more than one developer to take part in the HK$24 billion West Kowloon cultural district project has been halted after objections from a major developer.

While small to mid-size developers at a recent Reda meeting supported the idea of writing to the government, one large developer, which was not present at the meeting, later voiced its objection to the move.

Leading developer Cheung Kong (Holdings) was among those in support of a letter, sources said, which was to have urged the administration not to grant rights to only one firm that would be responsible for financing, managing and operation of the project.

In announcing invitations for proposals for the West Kowloon development last month, Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang said only one developer would be granted control to "ensure its concept would be consistent".

It is understood Reda will hold more talks on whether to submit a letter to the government.

This is the first time the government has invited the private sector to run a cultural development project. The project will cover 40 hectares at the West Kowloon reclamation site, bounded by Canton Road, Austin Road West, the Western Harbour Tunnel and Victoria Harbour. Tsang expects the project to create 6,000 jobs.

The development includes three theatre complexes, a concert venue, four museums, a water amphitheatre and at least four piazza areas.

The government aims to turn West Kowloon into one of the world's leading artistic and cultural centres - with the developer footing the bill.

The chosen developer would be given a land grant of 50 years.

Tsang believed the developer could generate profits from operating shopping complexes, residential flats, hotels and offices.

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Small firms want slice of West Kowloon
Peggy Sito
7 October 2003
South China Morning Post

The project should be split into several tenders, not offered as a whole, they say Small property developers are opposing to the government's plans to grant the $24 billion West Kowloon redevelopment to a single consortium rather than splitting it between individual tenders.

The developers said the government's proposal to grant the development rights to the mammoth project to a single group favoured bigger developers. Under the plan, the consortium will be granted rights to develop 40 hectares of West Kowloon for 30 years.

The chairman of small developer K Wah International, Lui Chi-wo, said: "There are only one or two big property players in Hong Kong who are financially capable of bidding such a huge project. It seems that leading developers will monopolise the development.

"Why not allow both big and small developers to participate? The government should take care of everyone's benefits."

Mr Lui said the redevelopment project should be split into six or seven packages of different sizes, with developers free to bid on all of them.

The massive project, which will have a 30-hectare roof designed by acclaimed architect Lord Norman Foster as its centrepiece, is aimed at turning Hong Kong into the region's cultural and artistic hub, featuring a three-theatre complex, 10,000-seat performance venue, four museums and an art exhibition centre.

The Chinese press has reported that members of the Real Estate Developers' Association were divided on whether the government should offer the project as a single commercial proposition. Smaller players proposed to urge the government to split the projects into several packages while leading developers reportedly supported the consortium plan.

Major developers Sun Hung Kai Properties and Cheung Kong (Holdings) were unavailable for comment yesterday.

Herman Fung Man-hei, managing director of small developer Hon Kwok Land & Investment yesterday said medium and small players hoped the development would be split into several pieces.

"I reckon it may not be a good idea to grant the whole project to one developer or consortium," said Mr Fung.

He said so long that the government closely monitored the master plan, the project's theme would not suffer, even if the site was built in different phases by a number of companies.

Karen Li, director of corporate development of Wing Tai Asia, said the company, as a member of developer's association, did not have a strong view on how the government should grant the project for private development.

But she said the government must take into account several factors before it made its decision.

"For example, will the entire project be completed on schedule when it is granted to one developer or consortium? Or, if it is developed by several different companies, how will (officials) ensure there will not be any conflicts on the cultural theme?" she asked.

[michal1982]

so nothing from foster west kowloon

[zergcerebrates]

I like the 2nd place winner more than the canopy one.

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Single firm for Kowloon mega project
Eli Lau
8 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

The government will stick to a plan to have only one party develop the HK$24 billion West Kowloon cultural district project.

"We want to ensure that the development will be consistent from its concept to operation," Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau Deputy Secretary Thomas Tso said yesterday. "It's not a development project that simply gives every developer a chance to generate profit."

Tso's comment came after the Real Estate Developers' Association (Reda) had attempted to convince the government to open up the project to small developers as well.

He said it would be time consuming and costly to allow various developers to take part in the mega project.

However, he said small developers would have opportunities, because in Hong Kong, "none of the developers can be solely responsible for such huge projects, but they can join hands with other organisations and professionals to accomplish it".

He added: "We will be glad to see their co-operation."

Under the government's plan, one party will be chosen to be solely responsible for the financing, managing and operation of the project.

The successful company would be given a land grant of 50 years.

"Conflicts will possibly be triggered if too many developers are involved in the construction and management," Territory Development Department project manager Kwan Pak-lam said.

"It's difficult to judge who should be accountable when mistakes occur."

Cheung Kong (Holdings) executive director Justin Chiu said on Monday the project should not be broken into segments and developed by different parties.

This is the first time the government has invited the private sector to run a cultural development project.

The project will cover 40 hectares at the West Kowloon reclamation site, bounded by Canton Road, Austin Road West, the Western Harbour Tunnel and Victoria Harbour.

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Culture centre envisaged as 'Opera House of East'
Glenda Korporaal
17 October 2003
The Australian

HONG Kong will have a $5 billion waterfront Norman Foster-designed arts and cultural centre as part of its push to become the premier arts centre of Asia.

The centre, to be built on a 40-hectare area of reclaimed land along the harbour on west Kowloon, is planned to become a Sydney Opera House-style landmark for the city.

With a modern, flowing canopy roof design, the centre will contain one 10,000-seat performance venue, three theatres, four museums, an art exhibition centre, a water amphitheatre and at least four piazza areas.

Hong Kong hopes the new centre, which will not be completed until 2010, will become a "cultural icon" that will attract performers from all over the world.

Last month Hong Kong Chief Secretary Donald Tsang called for proposals for the development, which will be built and operated by the private sector.

"We want Hong Kong to be the most vibrant hub for culture, arts and entertainment in the region," Tsang says.

He says the state-of-the-art facilities will "provide residents and visitors with a wide range of cultural and leisure pursuits".

"Our local artists will also have a creative hive in which to further develop their talent," he says.

Tsang made it clear the Government wants the facilities to be "architecturally distinguished".

British architect Foster won the award for the scheme's basic concept last year with a space-age flowing canopy design.

Proposals for the development must be in by March next year, with construction set to start in April, 2006.

Hong Kong Arts Festival executive director Douglas Gautier says the centre has the potential to become a cultural focus for the city along the lines of the Sydney Opera House, the Melbourne Arts Centre or the Barbican Centre in London.

He says it is inevitable that such mega-arts projects will attract some controversy.

"But at the end of the day they do focus the public, the arts community and the business community," Gautier says.

"They provide a focal point and almost an inspirational point for the national companies which perform there."

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ICAC may take part in West Kowloon tender
17 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

The government will invite the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to participate in the tendering process for the HK$24 billion West Kowloon cultural district project.

Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang also promised to submit the master plan to the Legislative Council for approval before taking it to the Executive Council.

"To ensure the decision will be free of political influence, no accountability official will take part in the judging process," Tsang said.

The pledge came on the eve of the deadline for expressions of interest by developers who want to bid for the contract. But the government stood firm on plans to have only one consortium develop the 40-hectare site despite calls to open the project to small developers.

Tsang held a meeting with members of the Real Estate Developers Association yesterday and made it clear to them that the government would not budge on that demand.

"We are doing it for the overall interest of Hong Kong, not for the interests of developers," Tsang said.

He refused to be drawn on what the association's response was, adding: "We don't need their endorsement. This is public interest."

Tsang stressed the objective of the project was to turn the West Kowloon reclamation site into world class culture facilities. The government budget was tight, therefore it was best to leave it to private developers, he said.

Awarding the contract to one developer would ensure continuity and the development would be consistent from its concept to completion, he said. "What is most important is that we will ensure the whole process will be an open and transparent one.

"The team of judges will comprise senior civil servants headed by a permanent secretary. But no politically appointed official will sit on the panel. We want it to be a professional decision, not one which has any political element.

"The government will invite the ICAC to participate and will get Legco's endorsement before it goes to Exco."

Tsang also shot down arguments that it was unfair that a single developer would reap all the benefits of the project.

"This is not a property project," Tsang stressed. "We are not benefiting any developer. The most important thing is we are dealing with the matter in a fair manner.

"Certain developers have proposed that the government should take care of infrastructure facilities, leaving the rest for private development.

"If we do that, we are acting in the developers' interest, not the public's."

Developers who are interested in the project have until today to express their intent to the government.

Under the plan, the successful bidder would be given a land grant of 50 years and be solely responsible for the financing, managing and operation of the project.

This is the first time the government has invited the private sector to run a cultural development project. The development includes three theatre complexes, a concert venue, four museums, a water amphitheatre and at least four piazza areas. Work will start in 2006 to be completed in 2012. The government expects 6,000 jobs will be created.

[hkskyline]

Legco to rule on West Kowloon deal
Chloe Lai
17 October 2003
South China Morning Post

Donald Tsang also says the ICAC will be involved in the tendering process to calm fears surrounding the huge project Legco's approval will be sought before the contract for the massive West Kowloon redevelopment is awarded, the chief secretary said yesterday.

He was trying to calm fears about the amount of power that would be put into the hands of the project's sole developer.

In a move to further calm fears, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said the ICAC would be invited to join the committee choosing the consortium responsible for the $24 billion West Kowloon Cultural District project. The project, designed by renowned architect Lord Foster, will feature the world's largest roof.

Mr Tsang announced last month that the contract to build a world-class cultural hub would be granted to a single consortium for 30 years. But the proposal has faced strong opposition from architects, planners, artists and academics saying that the area would be turned into a "developer's colony".

Some small-scale developers also objected, saying they would lose the chance to bid.

Mr Tsang said he met representatives of the Real Estate Developers' Association yesterday and told them it would be against the public interest to split up the project.

Approval in granting the contract for such a project would normally be left to the Executive Council alone, but Mr Tsang said that Legco would first have to approve the West Kowloon deal.

He said the one-developer arrangement was the best option as the government was now facing a huge deficit and required the business sector's support to carry out the expensive project.

"Because of the budget deficit, the traditional approach to building such a large-scale project (to be done alone by the government) is not going to work," he said.

Mr Tsang said the selection process had to be fair and transparent. He said no government minister would be involved in the selection process, to prevent the interference of political considerations. The process would be guided by a permanent secretary, together with a number of senior civil servants with different areas of expertise, and officers from the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Mr Tsang said the government would reveal information about the business proposals received for the project - except for confidential data - and stressed that no favouritism would be shown to big developers.

He said the developers' association had made a counter-proposal for the government to be responsible for the infrastructure on the sites, allowing developers to bid for the residential and commercial parts.

But Mr Tsang said it was not acceptable for "the business sector (to run) the money-making part of the project (leaving) the money-losing part to the government".

He said the continuous nature of the design, stretching for more than 1.5km, made it suitable for a single consortium.

But Hong Kong Institute of Architects spokesman Bernard Lim Wan-fung questioned to Mr Tsang's comments: "Having a selection committee composed of senior civil servants can't resolve the problem. The mechanism set up for this project is still full of flaws."

[hkskyline]

HK Govt: 10 Parties Interested In HK$24B Cultural Project
18 October 2003

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--The Hong Kong government said late Friday it has received 10 indications of interest for the development of a planned HK$24 billion cultural project.

Almost every blue-chip property developers, including Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd. (H.CKH), Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. (H.SHP), Henderson Land Development Co. (H.HLD), Wharf (Holdings) Ltd. (H.WHF) and railway-to-property firm MTR Corp. (H.MTH), have indicated their interests to the government.

The exercise was done to gauge market responses for the government. It said actual number of proposals by the submission deadline, before March 19, 2004, may be more than 10 as intending proponents aren't obliged to indicate interest.

The government plans to develop a 40-hectare waterfront site, the so-called West Kowloon Cultural District, into an arts and cultural complex.

While reiterating that the planned development isn't a property project, the government said last month it will allow 70% of the project's total gross floor area be developed for residential and commercial use in order to make the project self-financing.

The government has employed the same financing model before. Construction of the city's railway networks, as well as the Cyberport project, are both being subsidized by income generated from property development.

[hkskyline]

Architects fear culture will lose out to property
Teddy Ng
18 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

The Hong Kong Institute of Architects has lashed out at the government over the West Kowloon reclamation, saying it is turning out to be a property development scheme, not the new cultural hub of Hong Kong.

The institute urged the government to set up a West Kowloon Cultural Zone Development Board, which they say should include representatives from the art, cultural and property sectors, as well as legislators and government representatives, to monitor the development of the area.

The government has issued a global tender inviting private contractors to develop the project which covers 40 hectares of land.

Only 30 per cent of the land has been allocated to cultural facilities, while the remaining 70 per cent has been set aside for commercial use to cover the cost of operating the cultural facilities. The government received 10 expressions of interest yesterday. Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang said the government would grant only one developer rights for 50 years to avoid splitting up the project.

However, institute council member Bernard Lim said he was worried that the project would be focusing only on property development as the plot ratio of 1.81 could be altered, allowing contractors to build more commercial premises.

Lim also questioned why the government had decided to award the project to only one consortium.

"This is a large-scale project. How can we be confident that a single developer can handle it well," he said.

Lim said the government could grant the project to several developers in different phases.

To ensure the consistency of the project concept, Lim said a West Kowloon Cultural Zone Development Board should be set up.

[hkskyline]

Using one developer for cultural hub 'illogical'
Cheung Chi-fai
18 October 2003
South China Morning Post

Architects want an authority to be set up to oversee the West Kowloon project and prevent it becoming a property project Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has been criticised by the Institute of Architects for his "illogical" refusal to grant the huge West Kowloon redevelopment project to more than one developer.

The group fears the project to transform the area into a cultural hub with museums, theatres and public walkways could simply end up as a cash-driven property project because there are too many ambiguities around the extent of commercial development allowed at the site.

It called for the establishment of an authority comprising all relevant sectors - both public and private - to oversee and scrutinise the $24 billion development of the 40-hectare site.

The institute yesterday said members were unconvinced by the argument put forward by Mr Tsang that it was in the public's best interest to develop the site by a single consortium that will be entrusted to run the site for 30 years.

Mr Tsang cited the need to keep costs down and added that one of the difficulties in splitting the project was the construction of a single roof covering the site.

But the institute said the construction of the world's largest roof, designed by the acclaimed architect Lord Foster, should have nothing to do with the tendering because the roof could be built in phases.

"It is illogical and hard to understand why the project cannot be split. If it is tendered as a single one, there will be just a few competitors bidding for it," said Vincent Ng Wing-shun, a council member of the institute. "The lack of competition will only result in low bids and it is simply equal to selling the bulk of the land at a cheap price. How can we say it is in the interest of the public?"

The institute said the World Trade Centre redevelopment in New York and Docklands in London were both developed in phases by different consortiums.

The group also pointed out that the ambiguities over the scale of residential and commercial developments allowed on the site would affect the eventual size of cultural space available to the public.

It also cast doubt over local developers' expertise in managing world-class cultural facilities.

The government has so far received 10 submissions from consortiums indicating their interest in developing the site.

Bernard Lim Fung-wan, a council member of the institute, said the group did not object to private participation in the project, but the government went to the wrong extreme in its tendering plans for West Kowloon.

"It is such a big swing from the building and running all cultural facilities by the government itself in the past to simply keep its hands off completely," he said. "But there are lots of possibilities in between."

He said the success of the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, was the result of both government participation and professional management from art experts.

[hkskyline]

Cultural hub plans anger lawmaker
Peggy Sito
21 October 2003
South China Morning Post

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's efforts to calm fears over the West Kowloon redevelopment have failed to satisfy the legislator representing the real estate sector.

Abraham Razack said Mr Tsang's pledge last week to have Legco and the ICAC involved in awarding the contracts to turn the area into a cultural hub was flawed.

Mr Tsang had been responding to concerns over the amount of control being granted to the consortium that will develop the $24 billion project and be in charge of it for 30 years.

But Mr Razack said: "Legco's role is to monitor the government, but not to award contracts. The government has a central tendering board to select winning bids ... Why should we need ICAC?"

He joined calls for the tender to be split, suggesting separation of the residential and commercial segments, allowing big and small developers to bid. The government could use the proceeds to develop the site's arts, cultural and entertainment aspects, he said.

Mr Razack said he had called a panel meeting for this month in Legco to express his views.

Under Mr Tsang's suggestions, the Independent Commission Against Corruption would be invited to join the committee choosing a sole consortium to develop the project. Developers would meet the government to express their views in December, sources said.

[hkskyline]

Cultural hub?
22 October 2003
South China Morning Post

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has done some tough talking when confronted with property developers opposed to an unprecedented plan to award the multibillion-dollar West Kowloon cultural complex project to a single consortium.

"This is not a real-estate development project. This is not a project for developers, but for public interest," he said.

Mr Tsang was speaking after meeting representatives from the Real Estate Developers Association last week, after the lobby group expressed concern that small-scale developers would be at a disadvantage in bidding for the $24 billion project. It asked the government to consider separating the cultural facilities from the residential and commercial parts of the project.

Last month, announcing plans to invite the private sector to fund, build and operate the project, Mr Tsang said: "We believe if we offer the private sector the chance to finance and build this facility, they will be able to run it more efficiently and with greater flexibility if it is offered as one entire commercial package."

Faced with a runaway deficit, officials have been lured by the idea of giving private enterprise the responsibility of building and operating the cultural complex, meaning the government does not have to dig into the public purse.

In return, the successful bidder will be able to use up to 70 per cent of the 40-hectare site for commercial and residential developments.

Such a move is in line with the goal of the Tung administration to adopt a "small government, big market" approach in running Hong Kong's affairs.

As developers responded with enthusiasm to the lucrative business opportunities which the project will create, the half-empty concert on Monday featuring Jose Carreras and Charlotte Church was disheartening.

The plain truth is that Hong Kong remains a long way from being a vibrant hub of culture, art and entertainment.

Instead, Hong Kong's Canto-pop and film production dominates popular culture in Chinese society. If anything, the disappointing turnout indicates a lack of interest among the populace for classical music.

This is in stark contrast to the heat of the debate over how the $24 billion-worth of contracts should be carved up by private enterprise, which raises fundamental questions about the mammoth project.

With a 30-hectare roof designed by world-renowned architect Norman Foster as its centrepiece, the West Kowloon complex - billed as the "new cultural icon" - is predicted to eclipse even the Sydney Opera House.

The building of first-class infrastructure for cultural events, however, will not necessarily result in an enriched and flourishing arts scene.

Under the self-financing arrangements for cultural facilities, there is also a very real possibility that only programmes featuring popular culture will pass the test of commercial viability.

Defending the idea of a single consortium for the project, senior officials have pledged that the cultural complex will not become "another cyberport". This project has become better known as a property development success, while few people know exactly how it is helping to boost development of information technology in Hong Kong.

Regardless of how contracts are packaged in the future, the West Kowloon cultural complex will be highly valued only when it succeeds in facilitating the development of a rich and diverse arts and leisure scene in the special administrative region.

[hkskyline]

Modern ink painting might get home of its own in cultural hub
Chloe Lai
23 October 2003
South China Morning Post

The world's first contemporary ink-painting museum may be set up in Hong Kong.

Two developers have been holding discussions with Hong Kong's new Ink Society about establishing a museum to showcase outstanding modern and contemporary ink paintings in the proposed West Kowloon cultural district.

Ink Society vice-chairwoman Alice King announced the proposal at a forum of the Arts Development Council, where representatives of the arts community put forward their suggestions for the West Kowloon project.

She said the society had mentioned the museum proposal to Hong Kong's main developers, and two had shown an interest in getting it off the ground. It would be inappropriate to reveal the names of the developers, she said.

"Hong Kong is at the crossroads between the east and west. A museum displaying the best modern and contemporary ink paintings could help people understand the best of their culture while showing them how to embrace the best of western culture," said Mrs King, who is a sister of Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa.

"Museums are about exhibitions and collections. Holding an exhibition is never a problem, but where do we get the collections? We don't have the resources to compete for Picasso paintings, but we have the potential and advantages to display the best contemporary ink painting from around the world.

"People don't come to Hong Kong to see western paintings. Many collectors from around the world have told us they would donate to our museum if we had one."

Mrs King, who is also director of the Alisan Fine Arts Gallery in Central, questioned whether the government planned to form a board of directors to oversee museums in the cultural district.

"Any museum in the world has a board of directors. This is essential," she said, adding that board members should be government officials or representatives of the community and business sectors.

Hong Kong Arts Centre executive director Louis Yu Kwok-lit urged the government to come up with a monitoring mechanism as soon as possible.

[hkskyline]

Developer lashes out at West Kowloon planning
25 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

A developer has criticised the government's planning of the West Kowloon project, saying it is not a cultural project but a property project like Cyberport.

Ronnie Chan, chairman of Hang Lung Properties, said the government should develop the cultural side of the mega-project but let developers handle the residential component.

"Cultural development is not a responsibility of the business sector. It is better for the government to develop the amenities centre and leave the remainder to private developers," Chan said yesterday.

He said Hang Lung had not been one of the 10 companies to lodge bids for the HK$24 billion West Kowloon Cultural District project.

Chan also revealed that Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang had told developers not to disclose their views on the project to the media.

Chan said this had angered him as Tsang's words had hampered freedom of speech.

The tendering method was fundamentally wrong, as the content of the tender documents was unclear and the indicated 30-year operation tenure was too long, Chan said.

His comments follow the government's insistence that only one consortium would be chosen to develop the entire scheme.

Smaller developers have been pressing the government to split the project so they can also take part.

In inviting proposals for the project last month, Tsang said only one developer would be granted control to "ensure its concept would be consistent".

Chan suggested the 40-hectare site be broken up and auctioned, which would provide the government with the proceeds to pursue the cultural project on its own. He said he had already expressed his opinion to the government.

Chan is not alone in his protest as fellow developers from the Real Estate Developers' Association had attempted to convince the government to open up the project to small developers as well. The West Kowloon project, to be developed on reclaimed land, will include three theatre complexes, a concert venue, four museums, a water amphitheatre and at least four piazza areas.

It is the second time in a week that Chan has spoken out against government policies.

In the company's annual report released on Tuesday, Chan said Hang Lung Properties might invest more on the mainland if government policies remained unpredictable, a reference to government measures to support the residential property market.

[hkskyline]

Pledge to be tough with arts hub's developer
The official vow is a new attempt to calm fears over the $24b project
Chloe Lai
28 October 2003
South China Morning Post

The government has made another attempt to placate growing opposition to its handling of the West Kowloon redevelopment, saying it will call off the deal if the chosen developer fails to meet its obligations to the public.

There have been calls to divide the massive project among multiple developers, instead of handing it to a single consortium to run for 30 years, as the government proposes. There are also concerns that the goal of the project - to transform the area into a cultural hub featuring museums, galleries and theatres - will be diluted by an all-powerful developer's commercial considerations.

A spokeswoman for the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau said: "The government can call off the deal even if a provisional agreement has been signed, and there will be very detailed and legally binding requirements on what the project should fulfil in the project agreement so there will be no such thing as the government putting itself in a passive situation in the negotiations.

"The government will only accept a proposal that serves the public interest."

She was responding to the Association of Architectural Practices yesterday, which said the mega-project should be broken down into smaller deals. The association represents half of the 120 architectural firms in Hong Kong.

Association chairman Dennis Lau Wing-kwong said: "I'm not sure if the government has done any homework. It is a very large piece of land and you should be able to break it down into several smaller pieces on construction.

"Imagine how ugly it will be if every building looks the same."

The $24 billion project, due for completion in 2012, will feature the world's largest roof, designed by acclaimed architect Norman Foster, covering most of the site. Would-be developers have until March to submit their ideas, but there is no fixed timetable for the subsequent tendering process.

Mr Lau said the government should form a committee with representatives from the cultural and arts sectors and the community to decide which cultural facilities Hong Kong needs. "The government has the Norman Foster concept, but did it ever consult the artists and people from the cultural sector on what they want it to be? The master plan of West Kowloon has been decided(hellip) But the result may not be what the city wants," he said. "We should start to whole process from the beginning. This is the last major piece of land we have left in Hong Kong - our city cannot afford mistakes on this project."

Earlier this month the government offered to involve the Independent Commission Against Corruption in the tendering process, and said the Legislative Council would have to approve the decision. This was also an attempt to calm fears about the power being granted to a sole developer.

[hkskyline]

Empower the people on land development
29 October 2003
South China Morning Post

Stakeholders must forge a planning process that is more transparent and truly representative As land prices in Hong Kong reach historic low levels, the way land is used is being debated more stridently than ever.

The Hong Kong planning scene is now characterised by confrontation. Long Valley, Route Seven, Route Ten, Wan Chai Reclamation, South East Kowloon reclamation, Central Reclamation and the West Kowloon Cultural District have generated controversy to a level previously unseen in the construction and development sector.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), green groups and the mass media have put a stop to developments which are seen as environmentally unsustainable by one side and economically beneficial by the other.

Many NGOs and civil societies are supported by the middle class, who are sympathetic to their values. The same middle, professional and managerial class is getting increasingly vocal, is not afraid of protesting in the streets, and is impatient for what it perceives as mismanagement on the part of the government.

Hong Kong was one of the few colonies which, at the end of the British rule, did not see power delivered to aspiring members of the middle class.

Power to determine land use, arguably still the most precious resource in Hong Kong, is still largely in the hands of the government and the few large land-owning interests.

It is not difficult to understand the anger felt by the professional and managerial class, many of whom are suffering from negative equity in land or property.

This trend for open confrontation and obstruction will worsen. We have seen projects shelved and delayed, writs being served, smear campaigns, criminal intimidation, strong words from the Real Estate Developers' Association, and a rebuttal from Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.

The gross construction floor area in the private sector being approved by the Building Department has fallen to an all-time low. And in the end we all suffer. What is needed urgently is not only more sensitivity to values such as sustainability and cultural diversity but something deeper, which allows decisions on planning and land policies to be made with consensus in the community.

Can we build platforms on which planning issues are discussed widely, openly and rationally, long before plans are fixed? Many planning professionals were surprised by how many accusations from both sides of the central reclamation camps were based on ignorance or misunderstanding. How did we end up this way after years of so-called public consultation?

Step one, we must change the way planning issues are explained to the people of Hong Kong. The present format of highly technical reports is too complex even for many professionals. Even professional institutes can get consultation fatigue as a result of the heavy tomes being delivered to them constantly.

At the other extreme, the propagandist announcement of public interests (API) and leaflets are strong on rhetoric but too lacking in substance to be credible to anyone. If television channels and museums can explain astrophysics theories to the public in a clear manner, why are we still struggling to clearly explain a waterfront promenade?

If the government blames the green activists for fooling the public, it must act to equip the public to understand for themselves, not as an afterthought or only when there is a crisis, but from day one.

Step two, the government must forgo the colonial habit of talking behind closed doors to a few chosen interest groups, relying on a few organisations to reflect or control community opinion. The events unfolding in the past few months show that many of these organisations, green groups included, are out of touch with the middle class and the grass roots sentiments in Hong Kong.

In the case of the central reclamation, public sentiment moved too fast for traditional institutions and civil societies to catch up.

Many NGOs and green groups remained silent throughout the saga; some of them still cannot believe that the deal they reached with the government could be unacceptable to the public.

Discussions and consensus-building for any major infrastructural and building development must be conducted on a wider scale, proactively inviting and enabling involvement from all the stakeholders.

The government must be prepared to conduct discussions - in forums and in the mass media, on the streets and in the alleys of our city. It should equip its staff in the art of participatory planning and consensus-building.

The Economist last week rated Hong Kong the richest territory in the emerging market, on a purchase power parity basis, with per capita income of more than US$26,800 per annum, higher than Japan, Germany and Britain.

Now the new reality: planning fiascos will not stop unless there is a higher degree of power sharing with the middle class and consensus-building within the community. People of Hong Kong deserve and demand it.

[michal1982]

come on people lets start building this!!!

[hkskyline]

West Kowloon bids draw fire
Ernest Kong
31 October 2003
South China Morning Post

A disagreement between developers over the West Kowloon redevelopment project intensified yesterday after Cheung Kong (Holdings) said it supported the government's plan to award the venture to a single consortium.

Small to medium-size developers, such as Hang Lung Group, have criticised the government for its redevelopment plan after Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said the $24 billion project would be awarded to one consortium rather than splitting it between individual tenders.

A day after Henderson Land Development said it had submitted a proposal for the project, Cheung Kong deputy chairman Victor Li Tzar-kuoi confirmed his company's bid. He said Cheung Kong supported the government's plan for the redevelopment. "It's a government project and we will follow the government's decision," Mr Li said, adding the project would continue regardless. Mr Li said the project, which would have theatres, museums and an art exhibition centre, should not be regarded as a real-estate project.

However, smaller property players are arguing that the project, with a major portion designated for property development, should be treated as a real estate project.

They have urged the government to sell the real-estate portion of the redevelopment through a public tender and use the money to fund the cultural and entertainment facilities.

Legislator Abraham Razack, who represents the real estate sector, said the government had made "no genuine attempt to include small bidders" in the project.

"According to the government's bidding tender, a qualified bidder should have developed at least one project that involves more than $3 billion in construction costs in the past 15 years," Mr Razack said.

"The construction cost for the first phase of the Convention and Exhibition Centre was only $2.7 billion.

"Only Cheung Kong, Sun Hung Kai Properties and Swire Properties would be qualified as bidders under such harsh requirements."

[hkskyline]

CS's Speech
Saturday, November 8, 2003
Government Press Release

Following is the speech (English only) by the Chief Secretary for Administration,Mr Donald Tsang, at the First Workshop on a Sustainable Development Strategy for Hong Kong this morning (November 8):

Good morning ladies and gentlemen and friends,

What a way to spend a Saturday morning. I want to thank all of you for taking precious time out of your busy schedules to join together for this morning's workshop. For many of you, coming to the office on a Saturday morning is a regular part of your working week. For others - although I guess not many - a more leisurely Saturday morning may be the norm. But I hope that today's event will be something of a new experience for all of us. I am sure you will find this workshop useful and helpful, and hopefully stimulating too.

Today marks the first step in the process of building a Sustainable Development Strategy for Hong Kong. The task of advising how to put together this strategy has been entrusted to the Council for Sustainable Development, which I chair, in particular to the Council's Strategy Sub-committee, under the leadership of Edgar Cheng.

In a few moments, Edgar and his team will brief you on the background of this task, and on what we hope to achieve at this morning's workshop. But before that, I would just like to take a few minutes to explain why you have been invited here today, and why your commitment is so important to the process of defining how to create a sustainable future for our society.

The concept of "sustainable development" is not easy for many people to grasp. But the core of this concept is simple enough - and that is, a concern for the well being, not only of this generation, but also of future generations. To be sustainable, we must ensure that we provide for a quality of life that will continue to make us proud to call Hong Kong our home.

For Sustainable Development to work, this message needs to be understood and embraced by the whole community. And here lies the big challenge. The principles of sustainability require every one of us to seek ways of living that will enable us to enjoy a healthy, prosperous and just society, where people can balance the aims of creating wealth and pursuing personal development with a respect for the natural environment and pride in our cultural heritage.

To help bring this vision closer to reality, the Council for Sustainable Development has set itself the task of bridging the views of the community and the Government, in such a way as to develop a shared perspective on how to make Hong Kong a truly sustainable city. That is why we have invited you here today, as opinion leaders, as community leaders, as captains of industry and concerned citizens from various sectors, to help us design a process for engaging the community in building a strategy for sustainable development. We believe the object is clear. We believe that we need the help of all of you to tell the best ways to engage the public, to find a way to develop this strategy.

This is not a task that the Government could - or should - perform on its own. We will not be able to build an effective strategy for a sustainable Hong Kong unless we engage the public first-hand in this process. The Council is committed to working in partnership with both the community and the Government departments to ensure that our strategy will not only represent the concerns of the public, but will also be implemented.

Edgar and his team will explain to you clearly and concisely the Council's initial proposals for the engagement process that will form the foundation of this strategy. They will take you through the key steps in the process, and will invite you to debate these processes, and to suggest alternatives and improvements. We do have a completely open mind on this.

But today's workshop is about more than simply defining a participatory mechanism for engaging the community. Rather, it is a crucial first step towards harnessing the views of the community on their priorities for Hong Kong's future, and on how we should address these priorities.

The task before us is to reach out to the various sectors and strata of our society and to identify common concerns that emerge from the debate on our future. Following this workshop, the Council will carefully assess the views expressed here before advising on how best to proceed with the main thrust of the work.

We are very much aware that there is no single set of views or values within the community. As with any other large and economically advanced city in the world, there are differences of opinion and outlook. But a diverse society does not mean a divided society. On the contrary, we must recognise the freedom to express and promote alternative views is one of Hong Kong's greatest enduring strengths. And in the process, everyone must try to ensure all of these competing or complementary views and opinions are discussed in a rational and objective manner, and that there is a mutual respect for different views as well.

There are several issues currently attracting considerable public attention. The reclamation of the harbour, for example, is undoubtedly an important issue that also relates to sustainable development. In this case, it involves striking a balance between two very legitimate societal interests: protecting the harbour on the one hand, and, on the other, providing the infrastructure needed to divert traffic away from the congested Central business district. We have been criticised for sticking to established practices in trying to balance these competing demands. But when we look for solutions, our main concern is to find those solutions that serve the best interests of Hong Kong in the long term.

Similarly, there are times when we have tried a new approach to tackle a particular issue. This, in turn, has led to debate about whether we would be better to stick to old, established practice. Our plan to create a world-class arts, cultural and entertainment district at West Kowloon is a recent example. The government has proposed a new approach, and that is to ask the private sector to design, build and operate these major cultural facilities. Apart from financial resources, the other reason we have chosen this approach is to make good use of private sector experience and innovation in bringing this magnificent project to life. We want an iconic development, and a rich and vibrant cultural district, that is a great asset for everyone in Hong Kong. Not only for now, but for our future generations, were wish this district to contribute towards a sustainable balance in our way of life - a district built and managed in such a way that will not necessarily follow a Government-imposed model, but will represent what the world can best offer. We believe that the private sector has the talent, the creativity and the flexibility to provide this breakthrough.

Understandably, novel architectural and artistic projects always generate heated debates round the globe. Hong Kong is no exception. If I remember, the entrance pyramid at the Louvre, the Opera House in Sydney and close at home, our striking HSBC headquarters, the BOC building, as well as our now-famous international airport suffered intense public criticisms in their early days, without exception. We reckon that to make this project of a cultural district truly sustainable, we must fully engage different sectors of the community. That is why the Government is now taking proactive steps to reach out to a wide cross-section of sectors-planners, architects, arts and cultural groups, estate developers and interested groups in the community. We would like to hear their views and to work with them to make this project the great success we want it to be. And I want to stress that this project does not mean and will not just benefit one sector. It must benefit the community as a whole, and not for this community now, but this community and its future generations. And this will be the overarching consideration when we assess the development proposals submitted by the proponents in the next few months. I hope that all concerned can work together to make this project a great success that will be an enormous asset for the people of Hong Kong for many years to come.

This brings me back to the theme of today's workshop, which is the engagement process that is intended to help us gather and organise the diverse views of our community into a shared vision of Hong Kong's development. As this process unfolds, we will no doubt hear a wide variety of opinions that will challenge established practice and propose alternative ways of improving the quality of our lives. We welcome this input, in the knowledge that it conveys a sense of deep and lasting concern for Hong Kong's future development.

Before I hand over to Edgar, I would like to end by noting that today's workshop offers an opportunity for us all to make a commitment to future generations. That commitment will come through a process of partnership and involvement that will help make Hong Kong a truly sustainable society.

I thank you all for your commitment to this endeavour, and I look forward to working with you in the future to build a Sustainable Development Strategy for Hong Kong.

Thank you.

[panamared]

wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww what a proyect .

[hkskyline]

West Kowloon project may escape scrutiny
Zoning plan will give consortium free hand in development.
Chloe Lai
11 November 2003
South China Morning Post

The government is trying to bypass the Town Planning Board in developing the massive $24 billion West Kowloon cultural district.

In the first case of its kind, the government has put forward a zoning plan that lists most aspects of the proposed cultural district as works that do not require the board's approval. They include hotels, residential blocks, commercial complexes and museums.

If the government effort succeeds, the single consortium that wins the bidding for the project will have a free hand to build whatever it likes, and in whatever manner, without Town Planning Board scrutiny, once it concludes a deal with the government.

The board monitors urban development and normally has an oversight role in all but the most minor aspects of building projects.

Five developers have raised objections to the zoning plan, and they will be heard at a closed-door hearing next month with representatives from the government and the board.

It is understood that the developers, including Sino Land, K. Wah International, Hang Lung and the Real Estate Developers' Association, have vigorously opposed the government's approach to the project.

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen announced in September the contract to build a world-class cultural hub would be granted to a single consortium for 30 years.

The attempt to bypass the board has faced strong opposition from architects, planners, artists and academics, who say that without scrutiny the project could become a "developer's colony".

The Real Estate Developers' Association and several small developers also oppose the plan. The government gazetted the zoning plan for the 40-hectare site on July 11. It listed most facilities to be built under the category of "column one" of "other specified uses" of the Town Planning Ordinance. Board approval is required for column two, but not column one, items.

Only a few of the works in the West Kowloon project, such as a helicopter landing site and marine and petrol fuelling stations, were put on column two.

In similar developments, such as Cyberport, most of the works are listed under column two, needing board approval.

A board spokesman said 11 objections were received to the zoning plan: five from developers, four from non-government groups and two from individuals.

But the Planning Department said the zoning plan was appropriate since a "tailor-made" approach was needed for the massive project.

The Hong Kong Institute of Planners warns that the plan could enable the project to bypass all statutory monitoring mechanisms.

"This is very dangerous," institute vice-president Roger Tang Man-hung said. "It means the future of West Kowloon will be entirely a deal between the government and the developers. And once they set the deal, nobody can raise any objections."