hkskyline
June 6th, 2005, 04:58 AM
Sea views gone with the wind
Hong Kong Standard
June 6, 2005
http://www.pbase.com/pan/image/25573122.jpg
The view from the towers near Olympic station.
http://www.pbase.com/pan/scenes_hong_kong_urban
In the early years of the last century, Kowloon's Walled City was considered an affront to all that was good in Hong Kong.
Today, say Kowloon residents, there is instead a Walled Seafront, which ruins the harbor view they once treasured, and also results in pollution because the new buildings block the air flow.
While the British were blamed for ignoring the lawless Walled City, the SAR government is now accused of failing to protect the once magnificent sea views from the works of developers.
Along the harbor front of west Kowloon, there are several clusters of wide, tall wall-like buildings that obstruct the harbor views that long-time residents once enjoyed.
One development, Hampton Place, is a cluster of three 57-story towers.
Beside it are the nine towers of Island Harborview along the Tai Kok Tsui waterfront, each rising 40 to 45 stories.
Lai Shiu-Nin, 73, who has lived in Tai Kok Tsui for 35 years, told The Standard the landscape had changed dramatically over the past decade, with his biggest loss being the enchanting harbor views he once enjoyed.
"Those were the days when I could see the beautiful harbor. Now, I can see nothing but giant buildings," he said.
Lai said the flow of air to the 40,000 residents in the area has also been affected.
"Air pollution is now a huge problem in this district and this is our major concern," he said.
"We urged the government to monitor the building of high-rises in the area, but they ignore our voices."
Yau Tsim Mong district councillor Lam Ho-yeung said many residents are angry over the issue of the blocking of harbor views by the tall buildings.
"It is not fair because the residents of old Tai Kok Tsui have been not allowed to continue to enjoy the natural beauty of Victoria Harbor," he said.
He said the council has asked the government to follow the urban design guidelines, but so far no action has been taken.
A urban design guidelines for Hong Kong published by the Planning Department in 2002 suggests that infrastructure projects that create visual and physical barriers should be avoided.
It also says buildings should not have a wall-like effect and that waterfront buildings should maintain visual permeability to the harbour.
Taller developments should be located inland with lower developments on the waterfront.
The guidelines further suggest that buildings should provide view corridors or breezeways and pedestrian linkages to the waterfront.
In the first report on sustainable development strategy issued by the Council for Sustainable Development last week, it was noted that guidelines governing sustainable urban planning and design should be regularly reviewed with regard to issues such as buildings affecting view corridors or restricting air flow, and the need to proceed in a manner consistent with the overall sustainable development strategy for Hong Kong.
"The claim of sustainable development is virtually meaningless and the guidelines are toothless," another Tai Kok Tsui resident, Au Yeung Chi-shing, told The Standard.
"All we know is that the waterfront will soon be blocked by giant walls," he said.
"The developers want to maximise their profits and pay little attention to the environmental impact." Au Yeung said.
"The government, as a gatekeeper, should stick to the guidelines. However, the government does not follow what it says and that is ridiculous." Au Yeung said.
"Some residents living in Tai Kok Tsui told me they can hardly see the sun before 3.30 in the afternoon.
"The harbor, sunlight and the wind are public assets and all should be able to enjoy it."
Two weeks ago, a concern group Citizen Envisioning@Harbor urged the government to prevent wall-like structures being developed at the last waterfront site in North Point.
"There is no more reclamation, so we need to take great care of the last remaining land around the harbor,"said Albert Lai, group convenor and chairman of the Conservancy Association.
According to Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau, there are only two remaining harbor sites on the application list - the 1.47-hectare former Government Supplies Depot in Oil Street, North Point, and a plot of 1.14 hectares in Hoi Fai Road, West Kowloon Reclamation area-both of which are expected to be sold soon.
Raymond Lee, who is responsible for Kowloon district in the Planning Department told The Standard the urban design guidelines are for reference only and are not binding on developers.
He said the only way a height limit can be imposed is to include the area in the outline zoning plan but that this was a slow process.
Michael Ma, another planning officer in the department who is in charge of the West Kowloon area, argued that placing height restrictions conflicts with the principle of liberal economic development.
Besides, there is no turning back in some situations.
"The urban design guidelines came out [in 2002] after the land had been developed. We cannot change the things that have happened," said Ma.
He denied the guidelines are toothless, and said it takes time to translate principle into practice.
"It [West Kowloon] is not our priority at the moment compared with Kwun Tong and Kai Tak," he said.
He also described as a "subjective judgment" the views of those who claimed their views of the harbor are being blocked.
"When the government sells land, there is no guarantee that the sea view will be preserved. That is only the personal expectations of the buyers." said Ma.
But Citizen Envisioning@Harbor's Lai said the remaining open waterfront sites should be developed sensibly with provisions for public space. "Otherwise repeated commitments by the Secretary for Planning to return the harbor to the people will be nothing but empty promises."
Hong Kong Standard
June 6, 2005
http://www.pbase.com/pan/image/25573122.jpg
The view from the towers near Olympic station.
http://www.pbase.com/pan/scenes_hong_kong_urban
In the early years of the last century, Kowloon's Walled City was considered an affront to all that was good in Hong Kong.
Today, say Kowloon residents, there is instead a Walled Seafront, which ruins the harbor view they once treasured, and also results in pollution because the new buildings block the air flow.
While the British were blamed for ignoring the lawless Walled City, the SAR government is now accused of failing to protect the once magnificent sea views from the works of developers.
Along the harbor front of west Kowloon, there are several clusters of wide, tall wall-like buildings that obstruct the harbor views that long-time residents once enjoyed.
One development, Hampton Place, is a cluster of three 57-story towers.
Beside it are the nine towers of Island Harborview along the Tai Kok Tsui waterfront, each rising 40 to 45 stories.
Lai Shiu-Nin, 73, who has lived in Tai Kok Tsui for 35 years, told The Standard the landscape had changed dramatically over the past decade, with his biggest loss being the enchanting harbor views he once enjoyed.
"Those were the days when I could see the beautiful harbor. Now, I can see nothing but giant buildings," he said.
Lai said the flow of air to the 40,000 residents in the area has also been affected.
"Air pollution is now a huge problem in this district and this is our major concern," he said.
"We urged the government to monitor the building of high-rises in the area, but they ignore our voices."
Yau Tsim Mong district councillor Lam Ho-yeung said many residents are angry over the issue of the blocking of harbor views by the tall buildings.
"It is not fair because the residents of old Tai Kok Tsui have been not allowed to continue to enjoy the natural beauty of Victoria Harbor," he said.
He said the council has asked the government to follow the urban design guidelines, but so far no action has been taken.
A urban design guidelines for Hong Kong published by the Planning Department in 2002 suggests that infrastructure projects that create visual and physical barriers should be avoided.
It also says buildings should not have a wall-like effect and that waterfront buildings should maintain visual permeability to the harbour.
Taller developments should be located inland with lower developments on the waterfront.
The guidelines further suggest that buildings should provide view corridors or breezeways and pedestrian linkages to the waterfront.
In the first report on sustainable development strategy issued by the Council for Sustainable Development last week, it was noted that guidelines governing sustainable urban planning and design should be regularly reviewed with regard to issues such as buildings affecting view corridors or restricting air flow, and the need to proceed in a manner consistent with the overall sustainable development strategy for Hong Kong.
"The claim of sustainable development is virtually meaningless and the guidelines are toothless," another Tai Kok Tsui resident, Au Yeung Chi-shing, told The Standard.
"All we know is that the waterfront will soon be blocked by giant walls," he said.
"The developers want to maximise their profits and pay little attention to the environmental impact." Au Yeung said.
"The government, as a gatekeeper, should stick to the guidelines. However, the government does not follow what it says and that is ridiculous." Au Yeung said.
"Some residents living in Tai Kok Tsui told me they can hardly see the sun before 3.30 in the afternoon.
"The harbor, sunlight and the wind are public assets and all should be able to enjoy it."
Two weeks ago, a concern group Citizen Envisioning@Harbor urged the government to prevent wall-like structures being developed at the last waterfront site in North Point.
"There is no more reclamation, so we need to take great care of the last remaining land around the harbor,"said Albert Lai, group convenor and chairman of the Conservancy Association.
According to Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau, there are only two remaining harbor sites on the application list - the 1.47-hectare former Government Supplies Depot in Oil Street, North Point, and a plot of 1.14 hectares in Hoi Fai Road, West Kowloon Reclamation area-both of which are expected to be sold soon.
Raymond Lee, who is responsible for Kowloon district in the Planning Department told The Standard the urban design guidelines are for reference only and are not binding on developers.
He said the only way a height limit can be imposed is to include the area in the outline zoning plan but that this was a slow process.
Michael Ma, another planning officer in the department who is in charge of the West Kowloon area, argued that placing height restrictions conflicts with the principle of liberal economic development.
Besides, there is no turning back in some situations.
"The urban design guidelines came out [in 2002] after the land had been developed. We cannot change the things that have happened," said Ma.
He denied the guidelines are toothless, and said it takes time to translate principle into practice.
"It [West Kowloon] is not our priority at the moment compared with Kwun Tong and Kai Tak," he said.
He also described as a "subjective judgment" the views of those who claimed their views of the harbor are being blocked.
"When the government sells land, there is no guarantee that the sea view will be preserved. That is only the personal expectations of the buyers." said Ma.
But Citizen Envisioning@Harbor's Lai said the remaining open waterfront sites should be developed sensibly with provisions for public space. "Otherwise repeated commitments by the Secretary for Planning to return the harbor to the people will be nothing but empty promises."