Press Releases
Year 2005
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16 Dec 2005
URA starts $260m redevelopment project in Tai Kok Tsui
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Friday) announced the implementation of a $260 million redevelopment project at Fuk Tsun Street / Pine Street, Tai Kok Tsui, which is expected to improve the living conditions of some 300 residents and develop the site into a small "oasis" with green architecture. The old district of Tai Kok Tsui is home already to four URA redevelopment projects since early 2002 as well as 13 rehabilitation projects since late 2003. They will together bring general improvements to about 3,150 households. URA's District Development Director, Mr. Joseph Lee, told a press conference today (Friday) that upon statutory approval for the project, the URA would make acquisition offers for a total of 80 property interests at the project site and also provide compensat
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2 Dec 2005
URA starts $357m redevelopment project in Sai Ying Pun
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) will submit an application to the Town Planning Board (TPB) shortly for the implementation of a $357 million development scheme at Yu Lok Lane/Centre Street, Sai Ying Pun to turn a seriously dilapidated area into a historic theme garden and a residential development. The scheme will also help improve the living conditions of about 80 households, many of whom have long urged the URA to redevelop the area. In accordance with section 23 of the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance, a URA notice announcing the commencement of planning for the project is published in the Gazette today. Under section 25 of the same ordinance, the URA will submit a development scheme to the TPB for consideration within a few days. Mr. Joseph Lee, URA's District Development D
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5 Nov 2005
Community Workshop on Wan Chai Master Thinking (Chinese Only)
近七十位地區人士、專家和學者等今日（星期六）出席社區工作坊，一同為灣仔舊區的總綱構想提出創新的構思和願景。 社區工作坊由市建局的灣仔分區諮詢委員會主辦。市建局主席鄭維新致辭時表示，市建局在二零零二年開始推行四大業務策略（4R），亦即重建發展、樓宇復修、舊區活化及文物保育。市建局這方面的政策和運作模式，仍在不斷改良和進行探索，努力回應社會各方面的訴求。 市 建局在灣仔區進行中的重建項目共有四項，涉及的土地面積約共一萬八千平方米。此外，區內已有三十幢樓宇參加了市建局的樓宇復修計劃，比率為全港九大目標區 之冠。同時，市建局亦決定保育區內十四幢具有建築學價值的唐樓。故此，市建局希望綜合運用四大業務策略，為灣仔舊區的整體發展訂定總綱構想。 鄭 維新表示，灣仔總綱構想的過程共分三個階段，由下而上。第一階段在去年開始，透過香港大學進行社區訴求調查，訪問了近千名居民，並且進行聚焦小組訪問。第 二階段則舉行了十二次大型的諮詢會，向區內一百個大小團體搜集意見，出席人數近二千三百人，收回的意見書約一千七百份。這些意見經整理後，交由今日的工作 坊進行深入研討。 第三階段會是將工作坊的結論和建議，交給規劃顧問檢討和修訂原來的設計構思，再送交灣仔分區諮詢委員會、灣仔區議會，以及其他有關機構和政府部門討論。最後由市建局董事會定案。 工作坊由市建局灣仔分區諮詢委員會主席譚惠珠女士主持，並由香港大學城市規劃及環境管理研究中心派出十位專業人士，協助整理和匯報分組討論的情況。
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4 Nov 2005
URA launches public consultation on Kwun Tong redevelopment project
Local leaders and residents of the Kwun Tong community gathered together today (Friday) to express their vision and aspirations for creating a modern town centre to the Urban Renewal Authority (URA). They were among the members of the URA's Kwun Tong District Advisory Committee (DAC) which met for the first time to discuss a multi-billion-dollar project proposal for a comprehensive redevelopment of the Kwun Tong Town Centre. The committee members also include Legislative Councillors, bankers, academics, social workers and professionals from various fields. The Chairman of the DAC, Professor David Lung, who is also the Chairman of the Planning, Development and Conservation Committee of the URA Board, said, "It was a very lively and fruitful meeting. Members were constructive in putting
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1 Nov 2005
URA sets up District Advisory Committee for Kwun Tong
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today ( Tuesday) announced the setting up of the Kwun Tong District Advisory Committee (DAC) to collect public views and suggestions on urban renewal, in particular the Kwun Tong Town Centre redevelopment project which will be the largest single project undertaken by the URA. The DAC members come from different walks of life including Legislative Councillors, district leaders, property owners, social workers, professionals, academic, banker and businessmen. The appointments are for one year. The committee will be chaired by a URA Board Member, Professor David Lung, who has been participating in urban renewal work as a Board Member of the former Land Development Corporation and the URA since 1995. The main responsibility of DAC is to reflect the views
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22 Oct 2005
URA provides more incentives for building rehabilitation
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Saturday) announced details of a new package of initiatives in response to the Government's efforts to foster a strong culture of building care. The initiatives were introduced following the Government's publication of a consultation paper to promote building management and maintenance yesterday. The initiatives are designed to enhance both the financial and technical assistance to building owners corporations under the URA's current rehabilitation material incentive scheme and interest-free loan scheme. First, the cost of subsidy material offered under the material incentive scheme is increased from 10 percent of works value to 20 percent or up to $3,000 per unit. Second, the hardship grant of up to $10,000 per unit currently offer
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21 Oct 2005
URA supports building management and maintenance proposal
In response to the release of a consultation paper by the Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, Mr. Michael Suen, today (Friday) on promoting building management and maintenance, the Urban Renewal Authority welcomes the paper. A spokesman of the Authority said: "The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) supports in particular the proposal for the introduction of mandatory building inspection to foster and promote building care and maintenance. We believe that this would be a move in the right direction for Hong Kong in searching for an effective long-term solution to address the long-standing and increasingly serious problem of building neglect and disrepair particularly in the old districts. In the interest of both the community and individual building owners, it is hoped that the manda
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28 Sep 2005
Public consultation for Mallory Street project begins
A two-month public consultation exercise for the Urban Renewal Authority (URA)'s Mallory Street revitalization project in Wan Chai, a pilot project to help foster Hong Kong's development of cultural and creative industries, begins today (Wednesday). Announcing the territory-wide consultation initiative for the project, Miss Maria Tam, URA Board member and Chairperson of a Special Committee for the project, said: "This project is such a new and unprecedented attempt that we consider it very important to widely consult the general public as well as the prospective operators." The Special Committee is formed by the URA's Wan Chai District Advisory Committee (DAC) with representatives of the Wan Chai District Council and District Office. The consultation exercise aims to collect views a
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10 Sep 2005
Happy Mid Autumn Festival for elderly residents in Tai Kok Tsui
Festive mood filled the homes of some 100 elderly people in two Tai Kok Tsui redevelopment sites of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) when they are offered packs of mooncakes and fruit for the upcoming Mid Autumn Festival this (Saturday) afternoon from a team of volunteers comprising URA staff members and social workers of The Salvation Army. Their smiling faces showed their gratitude for the timely gift as well as for the concern of the caring visitors from the Urban Renewal Authority, who spent their weekend afternoon bringing festive gifts to them. Sponsored by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), the event is jointly organised by the Staff Club of the URA and the Urban Renewal Social Service Team of The Salvation Army. Over 50 URA staff and their family members, together with social
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1 Sep 2005
Chinese Estates Holdings Limited wins URA's Larch Street/Bedford Road Project
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Thursday) announced that a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese Estates Holdings Limited, Speed Win Limited, has won the joint development contract for its Larch Street/Bedford Road project in Tai Kok Tsui in a public tender exercise. The project covers a site area of about 13,200 square feet and upon completion, is expected to deliver a gross floor area of about 119,000 square feet for residential and commercial use. In addition, about 4,300 square feet of landscaped area will be provided. Chinese Estates Holdings Limited is one of the nine property developers who tendered for the joint venture project. Based on the recommendation of a tender review panel appointed by the URA Board, members of the Board agreed that the offer made by Chinese Es