The Study started with a broad assessment of the magnitude of the urban renewal problem. Information on building age and conditions extracted from databases kept by the Planning, Buildings, Fire Services, and Home Affairs Departments, and the Land Development Corporation was utilised as the initial basis for assessing the need for urban renewal. The Study gradually broadened to include district and strategic planning, transport, socio-demographic and environmental considerations in delineating urban renewal project areas.

A list of priority project areas has been identified to focus renewal actions in areas where there are urgent needs for eradicating run-down buildings, preserving buildings of heritage value, area-wide replanning and restructuring. Buildings that are 30 years old and above in unsatisfactory conditions or are not up to modern fire safety building design or installation requirements are also targeted. Individual pre-war buildings without modern sanitary facilities will also be prioritised for redevelopment. Figure 5 shows the major factors in delineating the priority project areas.

The Study recognises the need for old industrial area renewal. However, large scale redevelopment of industrial buildings might have an adverse impact on industrial activities and related employment. It should be undertaken with great care. At the same time, the Planning Department has been proceeding with the rezoning of old industrial areas and relaxing the user-restrictions of industrial uses to encourage the renewal of existing industrial areas.

The Study has selectively identified two groups of industrial buildings initially for URA actions:-

1. to combine those old industrial buildings with adjoining residential buildings of unsatisfactory conditions into priority project areas. The proposed redevelopments under this category are mainly located in Ma Tau Kok, Tai Kok Tsui, etc.; and

2. to identify selected under-utilised old industrial areas that are ready for comprehensive redevelopment and restructuring. They include Yau Tong industrial area and the industrial area bordering the old Kai Tai Airport site. The URA is expected to play a facilitating role to expedite private redevelopment in these areas. Should the private sector fail to respond, the URA could initiate redevelopment through such means as joint venture partnership, etc.

To ensure that the target areas and the priority project areas upon completion of urban renewal will become attractive places to live in, the Study proposes the following strategic planning guidelines to guide their developments:-

1. preparation of a conceptual development framework for each of the target area to guide the proposed urban renewal actions in a coherent manner;

2. preparation of a set of broad development parameters for the priority project areas so as to streamline the planning process for redevelopment; and

3. set out the broad design objectives of the target areas to promote quality development. Emphases are given to promote an environmentally friendly road and transport system design; and to give priority to pedestrians and public transport.

The strategic planning guidelines will provide the basis for the URA to prepare its 5-year Corporate Plan and Annual Business Plan (Figure 8). Nevertheless, the details of the priority project areas development, including boundaries, etc. could be flexibly adjusted to changing circumstances. In preparing its annual 5-year Corporate and Business Plans, the Authority has to select their projects from the priority project areas. Nevertheless, the Authority could with justification make recommendations to carry out other projects not yet covered by the Study.

The proposed priority project areas and the strategic planning guidelines should be updated regularly, as appropriate. The URA, relevant policy bureaux and government departments concerned will also be involved at an early stage. This is to ensure that inter-departmental requirements and inputs, including GIC facilities and infrastructure improvements related to the priority project areas will be taken into account for URA planning purposes.

There are LDC projects at various implementation stages. The Study considers that the future URA should take up all those projects being implemented by LDC. The LDC has also announced another 20-odd potential projects in early 1998. These projects could also be considered by the URA for action upon its establishment.

Upon redevelopment of the 200 priority project areas, there will be major improvements to the dilapidated urban areas, which will be brought up to modern city living standards. The major urban decay problem of our city will be largely resolved. Whilst many of the social benefits of urban renewal are non-quantifiable, the following are the more obvious improvements:-

• improvement of the environmental quality of about 55 ha of the older urban areas;

• production of 62,800 new flats;

• provision of 51,500m2 open space, and 70,700m2 community facilities, and

• preservation of 27 buildings of local character to enhance our local architectural and cultural heritage.

Without proper building maintenance, the problem of building decay will continue to aggravate and it cannot be resolved by redevelopment alone. The Building Authority (BA) is responsible for monitoring the safety of the buildings.

In the past 2 years, the government has initiated a series of measures to encourage building rehabilitation. The Buildings Department has launched a voluntary approach of Building Safety Inspection Scheme (BSIS) supported by a Building Safety Improvement Loan Scheme (BSILS) to encourage property owners to improve their buildings. The Fire Services Department has also introduced the Fire Safety Improvement Loan Scheme.

Whilst the overall effectiveness of the schemes are yet to be evaluated, the public has so far not shown much enthusiasm in the schemes. If the voluntary building maintenance approach proves to be not effective, more drastic rehabilitation actions such as a statutory preventive building maintenance scheme which emphasises preventive-type of rehabilitation should be seriously considered. Consideration should also be given to empowering the URA to administer the maintenance scheme within the target areas. The BA will administer the scheme in other areas.

On occasions, property owners and tenants affected by a redevelopment scheme are also served with notices to repair or rehabilitate their properties. This has caused considerable confusion and financial burden to the affected persons.

The Study proposes that a coordinated approach should be adopted by the redevelopment and rehabilitation agencies so as to minimize unnecessary disturbance to the affected property owners and tenants.

Heritage buildings and places of local interests are important assets of our city. Urban renewal could positively contribute to enhancing the uniqueness of our city as an international metropolis by preserving buildings of heritage value and enhancing places that are of historical, cultural or architectural interest.

1. Preservation of Buildings of Heritage Value:

The Study advocates preserving and improving the heritage buildings that fall within the priority project areas or target areas. The heritage buildings should be revitalised for more productive and beneficial uses. Groups of heritage buildings such as those in Yau Ma Tei and in Wan Chai areas have been included in the priority project areas. URA will be required to provide imaginative design solutions to preserve those heritage buildings and their adjoining areas as part of a comprehensive redevelopment scheme.

Lands Department in liaison with the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) has also been requested to explore the feasibility of preserving the potential and after-uses of those buildings of heritage value sitting on Government land.

2. Townscape Enhancement - Areas of Major Local Interest:

Two pilot townscape enhancement schemes - viz. Stone Nullah Lane in Wan Chai and the area around Lan Kwai Fong and adjoining the Central District Pedestrian Escalator (the Soho area), are proposed to preserve their unique local character and to enhance their attractiveness to tourists.

The proposed Lan Kwai Fong and Soho Area Pilot Scheme can unite with the Hong Kong Tourist Association's recent initiatives of enhancing the streetscape and environment of the area. It will be implemented by the Architectural Services Department (Arch SD). Alternatively, they could be implemented under the minor work projects programme of the Home Affairs Department. For the Stone Nullah Lane area, it is proposed to form part of an adjoining redevelopment priority project area. The redevelopment project will be carefully designed to integrate with the preservation of a group of the adjoining buildings of heritage value. It will be carried out by the URA.