The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking C… read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: The spokesperson for Princess Margaret Hospital made the following announcement today (July 5): During a monthly routine screenin… read more
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 5) announced that a prepackaged cucumber sample was found to have pesticide residue at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CF… read more
The Development Bureau announced today (July 5) that four projects proposed by non-profit-making organisations (NPOs) have been selected to revitalise Roberts Block of the Old Victoria Barracks in Central, Luen Wo Market in Fanling, the Former Lau Fau Shan Police Station in Yuen Long and Watervale House of the Former Gordon Hard Camp in Tuen Mun under Batch V of the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme (Revitalisation Scheme).
Roberts Block of the Old Victoria Barracks (a Grade 1 historic building) will be converted into the Roberts Block Open HeArts Centre by Christian Oi Hip Fellowship Limited together with Art Hub Asia Company Limited. The Centre will organise a series of creative arts workshops and therapy programmes to promote psychological and emotional wellness, and provide useful skills for people in need to reduce stress. Guided tours will also be arranged for the public to learn more about the history and architectural features of the building.
Luen Wo Market (a Grade 3 historic building) will be turned into Luen Wo Market – House of Urban and Rural Living by Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, LC-HKS. The project will revive traditional market operations with stalls and shops selling local vegetables, farm products and daily necessities. Through a variety of guided tours, workshops and activities, the project will show visitors the history and changes of Luen Wo Market and its surrounding rural area, thereby enhancing their understanding of rural lives.
The Former Lau Fau Shan Police Station (a Grade 3 historic building) will be revitalised into Former Lau Fau Shan Police Station – Hong Kong Guide Dogs Academy by Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association Limited. Guide dogs will be bred and trained at the site to provide service to the visually impaired. Some dogs will be trained to provide therapy for people in need, such as children who suffer from autism and communicative problems. The Academy will also display the history and architectural merit of the police station building as well as the development of oyster farming and the fisheries industry in the Lau Fau Shan area through organising different displays and guided tours.
Watervale House of the Former Gordon Hard Camp (a Grade 2 historic building) will be revitalised by the Tuen Mun Soul Oasis Foundation Limited into the Tuen Mun Soul Oasis, promoting a positive lifestyle through workshops, talks and courses on positive thinking and spiritual development. Themed guided tours and workshops will be arranged to introduce the history and heritage of the military site and the Tuen Mun area. There will be a featured restaurant with a menu including Gurkha food to promote Gurkha food culture.
The Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, said at the press conference, “The Development Bureau launched the Revitalisation Scheme in 2008. Through collaboration with NPOs, historic buildings are preserved, revitalised and put into good use. Under the scheme, historic buildings are given a new lease of life and the public has the opportunity to visit and appreciate these old buildings with heritage value. It is also expected that, through the revitalisation projects, old communities are rebuilt, employment opportunities are created, the local economy is stimulated, and niche social services are provided.
“The Scheme has been in place for 10 years. Including the four projects announced today, there are a total of 19 projects. Nine of them are already in operation and had received about 4.6 million visitors by the end of May this year. Among them, five scooped up United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. This proves that our adaptive re-use of historic buildings has won international recognition and the results are truly heartening.”
Mr Wong thanked members of the Advisory Committee on Built Heritage Conservation for their professionalism and dedication in selecting the best adaptive re-use for the historic buildings under Batch V of the Revitalisation Scheme.
The Government will earmark funding of about $365 million to renovate the four historic buildings and a further $18 million for subsidising the initial operation of the projects. The projects in this batch are expected to be completed and come into operation from 2022 to 2023, and will create over 120 full-time or part-time jobs.
The Advisory Committee on Built Heritage Conservation assessed 34 applications received under Batch V of the Revitalisation Scheme in accordance with the following five criteria:
* reflection of historical value and significance;
* technical aspects;
* social value and social enterprise operation;
* financial viability; and
* management capability and other considerations.
For Fong Yuen Study Hall (a Grade 3 historic building) in Ma Wan under the same batch of the Revitalisation Scheme, the Committee did not recommend any proposal.
The Chairman of the Committee, Professor Lau Chi-pang, said, “The Committee has concluded after in-depth deliberation that the proposals had failed to meet the selection threshold in all five assessment aspects.”
Fong Yuen Study Hall will continue to be managed by the Government and open to the public for the time being. The Government will examine the site’s long-term use, including a relaunch of the building in the next batch of the Revitalisation Scheme for applications from NPOs.
Details of the selected projects can be found at the heritage conservation website at www.heritage.gov.hk.
The Government launched the Revitalisation Scheme in 2008 to invite proposals from NPOs to revitalise selected government-owned historic buildings in the form of social enterprises. Where justified, the Government will provide financial support to the selected organisations, including one-off grants to cover the cost of major renovation of the buildings, in part or in full; nominal rental for the buildings; and one-off grants to meet the starting costs and operating deficits of the social enterprises for a maximum of the first two years of operation at a ceiling of $5 million per project, on the prerequisite that the selected proposal is projected to become self-sustainable after this initial period.
The Development Bureau (DEVB) announced today (July 5) that the Government will seek Executive Council (ExCo) approval for an in-situ land exchange for waterfront development in place of the industrial building (IB) under development on two private lots at Hoi Yu Street in Quarry Bay (IL 8590 RP and IL 8723 RP), subject to the development proposal obtaining endorsement by the Town Planning Board (TPB).
A spokesman for the DEVB said, “The community has been expressing the wish that the IB should not proceed at the harbourfront and instead be replaced by a development that is more compatible with the surrounding environment. We are pleased that the lot owner has responded positively with an alternative proposal involving a waterfront leisure, tourism and commercial development providing retail, hotel and office facilities, to be developed on a strip of land straddling a portion of the private lots and extending into adjoining government land at the prominent waterfront location. That strip of land is zoned ‘Other Specified Uses’ annotated ‘Cultural and/or Commercial, Leisure and Tourism Related Uses’ on the Quarry Bay Outline Zoning Plan No. S/H21/28, with the stipulation that any proposal for development on it has to be submitted to the TPB for approval.
“Having worked with the lot owner closely to explore the idea in the past few months and in the interest of upholding transparency, the Government considers now is the opportune time to share the latest progress with the public.”
The development proposal is subject to planning approval and land administration procedures. To take things forward, the lot owner has engaged consultants to undertake detailed design and technical studies for the proposed development in preparation for a consultation with the Eastern District Council (EDC) and the Harbourfront Commission (HC), as well as the submission to be made to the TPB later this year.
The lot owner’s latest proposal comprises several tower blocks, the height of which will take into account the building height requirement for the area, hence representing a significant reduction from the 25 storeys for the original IB. The total gross floor area of the proposed development will be 37 155 square metres (which is comparable to the original permitted gross floor area of 37 161 sq m for the IB) and will be mainly for retail, hotel, leisure and office uses. Taking advantage of the harbourfront setting, the facilities will help turn the area into a leisure and tourism node. A 10-metre-wide promenade will also be maintained along the Hoi Yu Street waterfront for public enjoyment, and pedestrian access will be provided to enhance the connectivity to and vibrancy of the waterfront. The lot owner’s consultants are preparing further details of the development scheme for submission to the EDC sub-committee and the HC in the near future.
Taking into account the gross floor area of the proposed development and the current height restriction of the area, the development will need to take up additional government land in addition to the land owned by the lot owner. This will be effected by an in-situ land exchange subject to payment of full market premium that requires the ExCo’s approval following the TPB’s endorsement. According to the initial estimate, the lot owner will surrender the two private lots with total area of 2 477 sq m in return for a re-grant of 8 532 sq m of land from the Government.
By way of background, the two private lots are permitted for industrial and/or godown purposes and a set of building plans for an IB development was approved in 2001. It was not until April 2003 that the lots and adjacent government land were rezoned to “Other Specified Uses” annotated “Cultural and/or Commercial, Leisure and Tourism Related Uses” and “Open Space”. The proposed IB development on the private lots is not in contravention of any planning and building regulations or lease conditions. Construction of the IB commenced around mid-2017. The DEVB and the lot owner have since been working closely to explore the idea of an alternative proposal that can better address the local aspirations and achieve the planning intent of the “Other Specified Uses” zone. read more