Urban Renewal Authority
Encyclopedia
The Urban Renewal Authority is a statutory body in Hong Kong
responsible for accelerating redevelopment to provide a better living environment and neighbourhood.
, Kowloon
, Tsuen Wan District
and Kwai Tsing District
) which are 30 years old and above. By 2030, the number of buildings over 30 years old will increase by four folds. The problem of aging buildings is more serious in older urban areas.
To address the problem of urban decay and improve the living conditions of residents in dilapidated areas, the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance (Chapter 563) was enacted in July 2000. The Ordinance provides a new institutional framework for carrying out urban renewal. The Hong Kong Government conducted a comprehensive review of "Urban Renewal Strategy" in 2008. After two years' extensive community engagement, a broad consesus had been reached and the new Strategy was promulgated on 24 Feb 2011.
is difficult to define clearly, it normally involves relatively large-scale redevelopment of urban areas, rather than piecemeal rebuilding of individual buildings or the provision of specific facilities. Its objectives include:
in Wan Chai and the area around Lan Kwai Fong
and adjoining the Central District
Central-Mid-Levels escalator (the Soho area
), are proposed to preserve their unique local character and to enhance their attractiveness to tourists. 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 Urban Renewal Proposals.
, better known by its local nickname "Wedding Card Street", is famous for its printing shops that sell custom-made wedding cards, coloured flashy red for luck. Despite efforts by local residents and conservationists to save the street's character, old buildings along the street are scheduled for demolition as they were too dilapidated to be preserved. Many proprietors have shut down their shops and moved out. Campaigners who fought to keep the street's character concede that the buildings are in poor shape, but they are sad to see Hong Kong losing another piece of its cultural identity
. However, the project did facilitate residents improving their living conditions. Owner-occupier
s were able to have generous compensation to buy a much better flat, while tenants were able to be relocated to public housing units. The project also invites shop operators to move back when the project is completed.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
responsible for accelerating redevelopment to provide a better living environment and neighbourhood.
History
It was set up in 1999, replacing its predecessor Land Development Corporation (土地發展公司, or 土發 for short) which was set up in 1988. The Urban Renewal Authority was officially established on May 1, 2001.Urban decay in Hong Kong
At present, there are about 16,000 private buildings in the metro area (Hong Kong IslandHong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
, Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, Tsuen Wan District
Tsuen Wan
Tsuen Wan is a bay in the Kowloon area of Hong Kong, opposite to Tsing Yi Island across Rambler Channel. The market town of Tsuen Wan emerged for the surrounding villages and fleets of fishing boats in the area. The town is around the present-day Tsuen Wan Station of the MTR...
and Kwai Tsing District
Kwai Tsing District
Kwai Tsing is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It consists of two parts - Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Island. Kwai Tsing is part of the New Territories. It had a population of 477,092 in 2001...
) which are 30 years old and above. By 2030, the number of buildings over 30 years old will increase by four folds. The problem of aging buildings is more serious in older urban areas.
To address the problem of urban decay and improve the living conditions of residents in dilapidated areas, the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance (Chapter 563) was enacted in July 2000. The Ordinance provides a new institutional framework for carrying out urban renewal. The Hong Kong Government conducted a comprehensive review of "Urban Renewal Strategy" in 2008. After two years' extensive community engagement, a broad consesus had been reached and the new Strategy was promulgated on 24 Feb 2011.
The Urban Renewal Proposals
Introduction
The new Strategy pointed out that Hong Kong's urban renewal should follow three major principles: "Putting People first"; "District-Based"; and "Community Participation"Aims
Although urban renewalUrban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
is difficult to define clearly, it normally involves relatively large-scale redevelopment of urban areas, rather than piecemeal rebuilding of individual buildings or the provision of specific facilities. Its objectives include:
- improvements to living condition to residents living in old urban areas;
- improvements to the urban environment and infrastructure by the provision of more open space, community and other facilities;
- enhancements to urban layouts, road networkRoadA road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
s and other infrastructureInfrastructureInfrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
; - the substitution or overhaul of archaic buildings;
- better exploitation of land;
- thinning out of development and population densities to reduce the strain on over-burdened transport and other infrastructure;
- making accessible land to meet various uses such as housing, and
- redeveloping a particular area in order to act as a catalyst for the redevelopment of neighbouring areas by private developers, as enhanced property values make this more viable.
Examples
Two townscape enhancement schemes, namely Stone Nullah LaneStone Nullah Lane
Stone Nullah Lane is a retailing street in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong island, Hong Kong. It intersects with Queen's Road East and is best known for its Wan Chai Market.One of the signs has now been defaced to 'Stoned Nuttah Lane'-See also:...
in Wan Chai and the area around Lan Kwai Fong
Lan Kwai Fong
Lan Kwai Fong is a small square of streets in Central, Hong Kong. The area was dedicated to hawkers before the Second World War, but underwent a renaissance in the mid 1980s. It is now a popular expatriate haunt in Hong Kong for drinking, clubbing and dining...
and adjoining the Central District
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
Central-Mid-Levels escalator (the Soho area
Soho, Hong Kong
The Soho district in Hong Kong is an entertainment zone located in Central and bordering Sheung Wan, within Central...
), are proposed to preserve their unique local character and to enhance their attractiveness to tourists. 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 Urban Renewal Proposals.
Criticism
Demolition of Lee Tung Street
Lee Tung StreetLee Tung Street
Lee Tung Street , known as the Wedding Card Street by the locals, is located at Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Involved in a project executed by the Urban Renewal Authority , was torn down in December 2007...
, better known by its local nickname "Wedding Card Street", is famous for its printing shops that sell custom-made wedding cards, coloured flashy red for luck. Despite efforts by local residents and conservationists to save the street's character, old buildings along the street are scheduled for demolition as they were too dilapidated to be preserved. Many proprietors have shut down their shops and moved out. Campaigners who fought to keep the street's character concede that the buildings are in poor shape, but they are sad to see Hong Kong losing another piece of its cultural identity
Culture of Hong Kong
The culture of Hong Kong can best be described as a foundation that began with China, and became more influenced by British colonialism. Despite the 1997 transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong continues to hold an identity of its own.-People in the culture:Most Hong...
. However, the project did facilitate residents improving their living conditions. Owner-occupier
Owner-occupier
An owner-occupier is a person who lives in and owns the same home. It is a type of housing tenure. The home of the owner-occupier may be, for example, a house, apartment, condominium, or a housing cooperative...
s were able to have generous compensation to buy a much better flat, while tenants were able to be relocated to public housing units. The project also invites shop operators to move back when the project is completed.
Relocation
Commercial tenants sometimes have a different view towards urban renewal as low-cost premises are getting hard to find in Wan Chai. Affordable commercial space is not always available in newly-developed commercial buildings. Even owner-operators of commercial premises are unable to relocate in the same district because the compensation they get from the Urban Renewal Authority do not always match the purchase price of similar-sized properties in the same district. It was proposed, therefore, that options should be made available to owners or tenants so that they can choose between physical relocation by developers, cash compensation to allow them buy or rent elsewhere, or wind up their businesses altogether.Membership
At the end of April 2007, Alan Leong Kah-kit was dropped from the board of directors of the Authority, after two years of service. Leong said he was not angry or surprised. "The government expects those who are appointed to statutory bodies to shut up and not express any opposing view to the public," he said. "If I really want to work for the people, then there is no point in staying there." another Civic Party member, and also a Legislative Council member Tanya Chan was appointed as URA's Board Member.Redevelopment
- The CenterThe CenterThe Center is the fifth tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong, after International Commerce Centre, Two International Finance Centre , Central Plaza and Bank of China Tower. With a height of 346 m , it comprises 73 stories. The Center is one of the few skyscrapers in Hong Kong that is entirely...
in CentralCentral, Hong KongCentral is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula... - Grand Millennium Plaza and Cosco TowerCosco TowerThe Cosco Tower is a 53-floor tower part of the Grand Millennium Plaza on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The tower has a total structural height of 228 m . Construction of the Cosco Tower was completed in 1998.-See also:...
in Sheung WanSheung WanSheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District... - Langham Place in Mong KokMong KokMong Kok , less often known as Argyle , is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District on Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong...
- Kennedy Town New Praya Project (The Merton)
- Waterloo RoadWaterloo Road, KowloonWaterloo Road is a major road in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was named to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo.The road starts in the west at the intersection with Lai Cheung Road and Ferry Street, and runs east past Nathan Road. It then runs on a northeast-southwest alignment through the eastern part of...
/Yunnan Lane Project (8 Waterloo Road) in Yau Ma TeiYau Ma TeiYau Ma Tei, also known as Waterloo , is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District in the south of the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong.-Name:Yau Ma Tei is a phonetic transliteration of the name 油麻地 in Cantonese...
Revitalisation
- Sheung Wan Revitalisation Project: Sheung Wan Fong (the public square adjacent to Western MarketWestern MarketWestern Market is one of the oldest structures in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The current structure was the North Block of the original Western Market. It is the oldest surviving market building in the city...
)
Current projects
- Tsuen Wan Redevelopment Project (between Yeung Uk Road, Tai Ho Road, Sha Tsui Road and Wo Tik Street)
- The MertonThe MertonThe Merton is a high-rise development located in Kennedy Town, Hong Kong. The complex consists of three towers. The Merton 1 rises 59 floors and , and stands as the 60th-tallest building in city...
(New Praya, Kennedy Town)
Revitalisation
- Revitalization/Preservation Project of 72-74A Stone Nullah LaneBlue House (Hong Kong)Blue House refers to a 4-storey balcony-type tenement block located at 72-74A Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai. It is named for the brilliant blue colour painted on its external walls. It is one of the few remaining examples of Tong Lau of the balcony type in Hong Kong...
, 2-8 Hing Wan Street and 8 King Sing Street. - Mallory Street/Burrows Street Project