PUBLIC COMMENT – SECTION 16 APPLICATION No A/H3/381
Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Development Scheme at Staunton Street/Wing Lee Street
To:
The Secretary, Town Planning Board
By hand or post: 15/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong
By fax: 28770245 or 25228426
By Email: tpbpd@pland.gov.hk
Comments to Town Planning Board close at 11-30pm on 29 April 2008.
I OBJECT to Application A/H3/381, for the following reasons:
1. Statutory Consultation:
The gazetting of the H19 scheme plan by the Chief Executive-in-Council was done in virtual secrecy as
there was no individual notification to adjacent property owners & owners’ committees and detailed plans,
including air, geotechnical & ventilation reports have only been released during the 3-week comment period
for the Urban Renewal Authority’s Town Planning application A/H3/381. Three-dimensional models showing
the site & context of the development have not been seen by the public and will only be seen by the Town
Planning Board members prior to it considering this application. This is highly unsatisfactory and not in the
spirit of ‘openness’ that the Chief Executive promised in his 2007 Policy Address for government’s future
heritage conservation and urban planning initiatives.
2. Bad Urban Planning and Environmental Degradation:
Such a proposed development by the URA, a statutory body wholly owned by government, is incompatible
with the government’s stated policies on heritage conservation and good urban planning.
The proposed development by the URA is too large and bulky and will be wedged between existing tall
buildings. Tower A (29 storeys) will be built between Centrestage (40 storeys), Grandview Garden (28
storeys), Kam Kin Mansion (27 storeys) & Casa Bella (33 storeys) on Caine Road. Tower C (28 storeys)
will be built in front of the King Ho Building (14 storeys) & Caine Tower (28 storeys) both in Aberdeen St
and Albron Court (29 storeys) on Caine Rd.
The creation of this larger wall effect; increased traffic due to the introduction of over 500 residents to the
area; reduced light, air ventilation & obstruction of views will adversely affect most of the surrounding
buildings; the trapping of air pollutants and having only small scattered open spaces is just bad urban
planning and not within the Revised Planning Brief which clearly states:
o
o
o
o
“The height of the development should respect the character of the neighbourhood and be
compatible with its surrounding area.”
“Future residential development should be designed to mitigate traffic noise and emissions impact
through careful design and disposition of the residential blocks…”
“…varying height profile and sensitive layout and disposition….”
“Appropriate configuration and adequate frontage/connection onto public streets should be
incorporated into the overall design of the public open space.”
3. Traffic Congestion:
A previous URA traffic study for the H18 development conducted by Wilbur Smith Associates found that the
Hollywood Road/Aberdeen Street junction is already overloaded. If this proposal were allowed, an increase
of 60 cars/hour during am and pm peak periods will seriously and negatively impact on the traffic for the
whole area, including Caine Road and running down to Wellington Street and Sheung Wan. Bridges Street
is a dead-end and all traffic that enters needs to do a U-turn to get out – the proposed widening of the
street is poor traffic planning as it will encourage illegal parking and give the impression that cars have
precedence over pedestrians. Currently, Bridges Street has a pedestrian-friendly feel; this will be destroyed
if the road is widened – indeed, it is the Bridges Street pedestrian footpaths that should be widened not the
roads!
PTO … page 2 overleaf
Page 2
4. Construction Nuisance:
The construction of four towers (3 towers by the URA and 1 by a private developer) simultaneously in this
small area will bring serious nuisance (noise, dust, piling vibration) to a community with many residents,
schools and kindergartens, SOHO eateries and a heritage trail visited by many tourists.
5. Heritage Conservation & Neighbourhood Character Preservation:
a/. The H19 area is part of the original layout of early Hong Kong and should only comprise low-rise
buildings and be part of a heritage protection zone encompassing Tung Wah Hospital; the Tai Ping Shan
area & Man Mo Temple; the Former Central School site on the opposite side of Staunton Street; SOHO;
Central Police Station & Victoria Prison; St John’s Cathedral etc. The proposed H19 development, with
wall-like high rise towers, will spoil this historic area of Central - which the government is considering to
conserve.
b/.The tong lau tenement housing on Wing Lee Street (including no. 17 and 19 Shing Wong Street, no. 112 Wing Lee Street) must be preserved as a whole and used as intact private housing and ground-floor
light commercial uses – the deterioration of these buildings is actually due to the current Comprehensive
Development Area (CDA) Zoning and owners waiting for compensation under the URA Ordinance. Wing
Lee Street is a narrow strip of land unsuitable for development and the URA’s preferred option of
demolishing a section of the street for use as a clubhouse is not in the public interest and bad urban
planning.
c/. The introduction of intensive commercial uses such as bars & restaurants in Shing Wong and Wing Lee
Streets, as outlined by the URA proposal, is incompatible with this residential area and nearby schools.
d/.The construction of Tower A - a 29-storey tower on top of the historic Bridges Street Market is
unacceptable and is a poor form of heritage conservation. No building should be added on top of the
market and the entire market should be reserved for community use.
6. Geotechnical Problems
The geotechnical report by Maunsell Consultants states: “construction of pile foundations for new high rise
building could cause settlement of adjacent building and retaining wall” and “excessive ground movement
could induce cracks on wall 11SW/A/R101” and “excavation at the reconstruction area could induce
settlement of adjacent low-rise structure preserved (tong lau on Wing Lee Street).” These are very serious
geotechnical issues and possible hazards to be considered by the Town Planning Board.
In conclusion, the proposed URA H19 development scheme is badly planned & against the
public interest and I hereby request the Town Planning Board to REJECT this application.
Other Comments:
Name of person/company making this comment: ____________________________________
Signature: ______________________________ Date: _______________________________
Telephone number, postal or email address: ________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________