Swire seeks to upgrade Taikoo Place buildings
10 November 2007
South China Morning Post

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20070908/IMG_0915.jpg
Locale

Swire Properties has submitted an application to redevelop three industrial buildings in Taikoo Place into two 29 to 59-storey grade A office buildings, creating two million square feet of floor space that will be the next largest new office supply in Hong Kong Island in the coming years.

The redevelopment plan not only requires approval from the Town Planning Board but also the approval of government, which is one of the owners of one of the buildings, Cornwall House.

Early this month, the developer submitted an application list to the Town Planning Board to redevelop Somerset House, Warwick House and Cornwall House, the only three industrial buildings in the Taikoo Place development in Quarry Bay.

The redevelopment project will be divided into two phases to give Swire Properties more time to manoeuvre, as it has been unsuccessful so far in its attempts to buy the eight floors in Cornwall House from the government that house the Government Logistics Department.

The first phase of the project will involve redeveloping Somerset House into a 29 to 47-storey grade A office tower with a total gross floor area of 953,281 square feet.

Cornwall House and Warwick House will be redeveloped in the second phase, in which the developer has proposed to build a 54 to 59-storey office building with a total gross floor area of more than 1.05 million square feet.

The Town Planning Board will discuss the application within the next two months.

A Swire Properties spokeswoman said the developer had not decided the development schedule.

Citic Ka Wah Bank is one of the major tenants in Somerset House and has leased 116,500 square feet in the building since the end of 2005. The spokeswoman of the bank was unavailable for comment yesterday.

South China Morning Post Publishers leases two office floors in the building. The lease was renewed last year.

The 70-storey One Island East at 18 Westlands Road is the latest development at Taikoo Place, and is scheduled for the completion in March next year. About 40 per cent of its lettable area has been leased out with rents ranging between HK$30 and HK$35 per square foot.

:D

Will the three office towers be demolished or given a height increase? I'm not sure about the redevelopment seeing that the buildings are so well-designed.

They'll be demolished I believe. The two buildings in question are old industrial buildings, but as they're maintained by Swire, they actually look new and half decent for an industrial building!

Planners reject Swire ideas for Taikoo Place
15 December 2007
South China Morning Post

Swire Properties' plan to redevelop three industrial buildings into two skyscrapers in Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay, was turned down by the Town Planning Board yesterday as the proposed heights for the buildings far exceed nearby developments.

The developer planned to redevelop Warwick House and Cornwall House into a single tower 270 metres above principal datum (or sea level), and Somerset House into a 246.6-metre tower - 54 per cent higher than developments in the area.

Nearby building heights range between 117 metres and 175 metres.

"It will definitely block the views of existing buildings," said a Town Planning Board spokesman.

He noted that PCCW Tower is 169 metres and Devon House is 117 metres, while Warwick House and Cornwall House rise 160 metres above sea level.

"Somerset House is closer to the waterfront, where buildings should be much lower," said the board's spokesman.

However, in 2004 Swire obtained permission to build the 300-metre grade A office development One Island East, within walking distance of the three industrial buildings.

The planning board spokesman said building height had not been a focus of public concern then.

"The board's decision has to reflect market concerns," he said.

A Swire spokeswoman said: "We regret the board's decision."

The developer had hoped the redevelopment plan would provide more open space for the Island East district, she said.

The plan would integrate three industrial buildings into two office blocks, so the buildings would occupy a smaller site, she said.

But she said there was no immediate decision on whether the company would lodge an appeal.

According to Swire's proposal, the first phase of the project would involve redeveloping Somerset House into a 29- to 47-storey grade A office tower with a total gross floor area of 953,281 sq ft.

Cornwall House and Warwick House would be redeveloped in the second phase into a 54- to 59-storey office building with a total gross floor area of more than 1.05 million sq ft.

Are they off their rocker?

good news!!.........and stunning buildings!

good news!!.........and stunning buildings!

Read the latest post by hkskyline.

Hong Kong? Worried about too tall? Huh? Please, please, don't turn HK into the NIMBY-USA.

Unlikely that ruling will spell the end of this project. It'll probably come back very soon with reduced height. Swire wants to develop the area into a new alternative commercial hub, so those industrial buildings are likely going to go for good.

Nimbyism in Hong Kong...now that's a first.

This is really a bad decision, because that district would have a lot of potential for future developments.

The part I don't get:


Swire Properties' plan to redevelop three industrial buildings into two skyscrapers in Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay, was turned down by the Town Planning Board yesterday as the proposed heights for the buildings far exceed nearby developments.


But right now the OIE sticks out like a sore thumb! Two 200m+ buildings will help to balance it, or are they blind and do not see that OIE also "far exceeds nearby development heights"?

On the other hand, converting two of the towers to heights of 270 and 230 metres would mean that you achieve a nice balance of:

OIE: 300m
Two towers: 250-ish m
Others: 140-160m.

Bunch of fucking plonkers.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20070908/IMG_0915.jpg

A height increase and renovations for these four short buildings would have sufficed.

Here is what the original proposal would have looked like.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q144/aboveday2006/islandeast.jpg

#1, OIE, is well under way and nearly complete [scheduled to OPEN in March 2008] of course.

#2 would be 270m.

#3 would be 247m.

More public room for Taikoo
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, April 02, 2008

A plan to redevelop Taikoo Place will see an extra 6,400 square meters of open public space, Swire Group director and general manager Guy Bradley said yesterday.

The major facelift for the commercial hub will cost Swire Properties HK$6 billion.

"The enhancements will lower building height, improve ventilation and create more open space without a major impact on traffic," Bradley said.

The plan calls for Cornwall House to be replaced with a privately-owned public plaza under a pedestrian bridge. Also planned are fountains, gardens, sculptures and seating.

Somerset House and Warwick House will give way to two terraced-height buildings occupying a smaller area to allow for a garden to the west of Warwick House.

The proposal will also allow for bigger pedestrian bridges over the public plaza, adjacent offices and residential towers.

Pending approval by the Town Planning Board, Swire hopes to begin construction by early 2013, but ownership issues over seven floors owned by the government in Cornwall House will have to be resolved.

Bradley said that the state-of-the-art grade A office space would fetch HK$40 per square foot.

Spot rents for the existing three industrial buildings in Taikoo Place are between HK$23 and HK$25 per square foot, according to Savills.

Public use of privatized public space became a hot topic with the disclosure that the Times Square piazza was in fact public space.

But overzealous security guards had previously policed the plaza and enforced strict no-sitting rules among other by-laws banning the distribution of pamphlets and eating or drinking. Signs that adorned the plaza's flowerbeds in the past with the message "no sitting" have been replaced with notices reading "love the plants."

Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said during a radio show yesterday that she had sent a letter to the owner, Wharf Holdings, requesting records on the past usage of the public space for commercial and exhibition purposes before deciding whether or not the company had violated its deed of dedication.

Secretary for Justice Wong Yan-lung told a special meeting of the Legislative Council's Finance Committee his department will also be studying whether there has been a breach of contract terms, but did not mention when the results would be made available.

In the Times Square deed of dedication, the government gave the developer extra space on condition the ground-floor piazza be designated as public space.

Separately, the Buildings Department revealed that, of 79 privatized public spaces in the territory, only Times Square was required to provide public usage of its piazza.

Traffic concerns over new tower in Taikoo Shing Residents fear more air pollution
21 April 2008
South China Morning Post

Residents and workers in Taikoo Shing are bracing for more traffic and increased pollution - from a new office tower in the area.

The 70-storey One Island East, which opened on April 1, will bring an average of 650 more vehicles an hour into the area when most of the tenants move in this summer, according to estimates by developer Swire Properties.

District councillors and residents fear that the traffic - three times more than before the Quarry Bay landmark was developed - will clog the narrow streets, causing more noise and dust.

The company's head of public affairs, Miranda Szeto, admitted the tower - already 87 per cent leased - would attract more cars and pedestrians to the area. But the impact would be much less than the figures suggested, she said.

"The extra traffic will be mostly private vehicles, not trucks or cargo vans as it used to be," she said, referring to traffic flow at the two industrial buildings that were demolished to make way for the tower. "And the extra cars will be diverted among various roads within the area {hellip} it's not like they will all jam into one street at a particular moment."

Westlands Road, which leads to the tower, has already been changed to more clearly direct drivers and allow smoother traffic flow.

But Eastern District councillor Andrew Chiu Ka-yin, a long-time resident in the area, and his neighbours were worried much of the increased traffic would come from the Island Eastern Corridor through Taikoo Wan Road, bringing more noise and dust.

"Swire said vehicles would be encouraged to drive to the corridor through Hoi Tai Street on the harbourfront, but drivers tend to pick the shortest route to their destinations, and that is Taikoo Wan Road."

Meanwhile, people who drive to work at Taikoo Place were worried that finding a parking space would become more difficult. As One Island East does not have its own car park, drivers would have to use the car parks under Taikoo Place.

But Ms Szeto said the number of parking spaces was adequate. Figures showed that of the 1,300 spaces available, only about 70 per cent were used.

The Transport Department said Swire had not provided figures on the traffic implications of the new office tower, but a government engineer said roads in the district should be able to cope for the next five years.

One Island East, however, is the first of a number of developments expected to add to the congestion in the next few years. The 350-room Cityplaza Hotel on Taikoo Shing Road is expected to open next year.

Swire is also seeking to redevelop three office blocks at Taikoo Place - Somerset, Cornwall and Warwick houses - into two skyscrapers.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20070908/IMG_0915.jpg
Locale

I don't know which buildings in this photo are Somerset House, Cornwall House, and Warwick House. I hope they demolish the white building in the middle because that looks boring.

I don't know which buildings in this photo are Somerset House, Cornwall House, and Warwick House. I hope they demolish the white building in the middle because that looks boring.

The white building you are talking about is Somerset House. Cornwall isn't shown in the photo and sits right behind Somerset. These are the two buildings will be torn down in the proposal here.

Warwick sits behind PCCW from this angle, don't think there is any plan to redevelop that building yet.

I also don't know the names of the greenish-blue, blue, and gold builsings. Can those buildings be demolished, too?

It's good to know that there will be re-developments to the area

The new plans say that Cornwall House will be replaced by a new piblic plaza and somerset House and Warwick House to be replaced by completely new office buildings. Will they be shorter or taller than the current two buildings? If they are shorter, then I will dislike this proposal.

Swire's redevelopment plan for Taikoo Place fails to win support
25 June 2008
South China Morning Post

Swire Properties has failed to win the Planning Department's support for its proposal to redevelop three buildings in Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay, as the proposed heights far exceeded nearby developments.

The Town Planning Board, which rejected Swire's application in December last year, will review it again this Friday based on its consultation with the Planning Department and comments from the developer. Swire planned to redevelop Warwick House and Cornwall House into a single tower 270 metres above principal datum (or sea level), and Somerset House into a 246.6-metre tower - 54 per cent higher than developments in the area.

Developer looks at building community spirit and eco-friendly ideas Swire Properties
10 October 2008
South China Morning Post

Swire Properties has witnessed a robust leasing performance of its grade-A office portfolio including Pacific Place in Admiralty and Taikoo Place and Cityplaza in Island East.

Chris Heywood, senior portfolio manager of Swire Properties Management, said there was strong demand for office space and the group's major properties had no vacant premises available.

He said the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the global financial turbulences had not had any immediate effect on leasing interest in its properties.

"We have not seen any significant impact and Hong Kong remains very strong really, particularly in the office market. The three office buildings of our Pacific Place development are full. Nothing has changed so far," he said.

The average rental achieved for Pacific Place had increased by about 20 per cent in the first nine months of this year, he said. The monthly rental at One and Two Pacific Place was around HK$100 per sqft, and that at Three Pacific Place in the mid HK$80s.

Stephan Spurr, director and general manager of Island East at Swire Properties, said its office buildings in Taikoo Place and Cityplaza were 100 per cent occupied.

The newly completed One Island East is 92 per cent leased with the few floors remaining being in the top zone.

"The average per sqft rental achieved for grade A properties in Island East including Cityplaza and Taikoo Place is in the high HK$30s while the rents for One Island East are in the mid HK$50s. Rents remain strong, as is the market demand for our buildings," Mr Spurr said.

The 70-storey One Island East has 1.5 million sqft of office space. Its tenants include DBS Bank, JPMorgan, CLSA, Fidelity International, Convoy Financial, Zurich Insurance Group, Aedas, The Marketing Store, ZIM Shipping, Ernst & Young, Shriro Pacific, Tiffany & Co, Club 21 and Christian Dior.

Mr Heywood said the ripple effects of the shortage of office space in core Central had benefited properties in other locations such as Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, while those in Island East saw a much stronger take-up over the past year.

He said the Pacific Place office towers had several tenants from the financial sector while Swire's Island East portfolio was supported by a broader mix of tenants from different business sectors including financial, shipping and retailing.

Mr Heywood said Swire was different from other developers and wanted to build up a community environment, not just its own properties.

"We are more of a community developer. We create not just offices or shopping spaces, but a whole development and a whole environment. At Three Pacific Place, we have created a community where we own some ground floor space for retail use. We work with other owners in the neighbourhood to promote the area and create a destination for people," he said.

Swire is also undertaking an overall design improvement project for the Pacific Place complex to meet the changing needs of Hong Kong shoppers and elevate the positioning of the premier shopping and mixed-use project. The improvement work, which involves interior, exterior and architectural refinement, is expected to cost more than HK$1.5 billion.

"We spent a lot of time on the planning and design process for the project. We are constantly looking at our buildings and reinventing ourselves," Mr Heywood said.

With the completion of One Island East, Swire's Island East portfolio has increased to a total floor area of 8 million sqft.

The group has been involved in the transformation of Island East to develop and deliver a modern vibrant community. A further expansion of Taikoo Place is on the drawing board, involving the redevelopment of three industrial buildings - Somerset House, Cornwall House and Warwick House into two new environmentally friendly grade-A office buildings. Upon the approval for the redevelopment plan, demolition and construction works can commence in 2013 at the earliest.

Mr Heywood said Swire made continuous efforts to improve tenants' experience and operating efficiency while quality management services were in place to anticipate and respond to tenants' needs.

The group also carried out research on the technology and environmental aspects of its new and existing developments, he said. Among the environmental initiatives were new chilling systems installed at its Island East properties for better air-conditioning management.

太古鰂魚涌建摩廈再上訴
11月4日 星期二 05:05

【明報專訊】太古（0019）地產申請將鰂魚涌太古坊內的3幢工業樓宇——常盛大廈、康和大廈及和域大廈，重建為兩幢分別54層（246.6米）及59層高（270.25米）摩廈，經過城規會兩度否決後，據悉太古已上訴至以法庭形式運作的城市規劃上訴委員會，正等待審理。

城規會先後於07年12月14日及本年6月27日，否決太古坊申請的重建計劃，主要原因包括：

1) 擬議布局並不理想，因為建築物的布局會阻擋觀景畧q風廊，而且大部分休憩用地只擬於重建計劃較後階段提供；

2) 擬議建築物2A和2B的建築物高度，分別為主水平基準上246.6米和270.25米，在區內屬於過高。申請人提交的資料未能證明，擬議發展不會對附近地區和山脊線造成任何負面的視覺影響。

太古於99年曾獲城規會批准方案，興建294.9米及160米高廈各一幢。前者已有建築圖則，惟地盤範圍內的康和大廈有8層的業權由政府持有，而太古曾向政府洽購，但一直談不攏，而後者位置近月獲准建一幢37層高商廈（另設2層地庫），樓面55.9萬方呎，原則上後者可先興建，但顯然太古更屬意前者摩廈可以動工。

Tai Koo Shing Hotel Development by bextra from skyscrapers.cn :

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r90/jt921211/IMG_5719.jpg

Oh snap! I've been waiting for a picture of the hotel! I didn't know it's gonna be quite this tall! How many floors is it gonna be?

Good question - was just about to ask the same.

Also, do you know what it will be called and by whom it will be operated?

Good question - was just about to ask the same.

Also, do you know what it will be called and by whom it will be operated?

Unfortunately, haven't picked up anything in the English press on the project details.

28 February 2008
Press Release
Swire Properties Announces Launch of Swire Hotels

Swire Properties today announces the formation of Swire Hotels, and the launch of its first of four hotels in Greater China. Opening this summer, The Opposite House, Beijing, will be the first property to be managed by the new company.

Swire Properties has extensive experience of developing properties for world class hoteliers, both in Hong Kong and overseas. It has a 75% interest in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Miami, Florida, and in Hong Kong it has a 20% interest in each of the JW Marriott, Conrad Hong Kong and Island Shangri-la hotels at Pacific Place, and in Novotel Citygate.

“The development of Swire Hotels enables us to build on our strengths in mixed-use development, while our own quality hotel projects will add value and synergy to our investment property portfolio,” said Keith Kerr, Chairman of Swire Properties.

Swire Hotels

Swire Hotels has been formed to create and manage small luxury hotels in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the United Kingdom, providing an exceptional experience for travellers who seek individuality, style and personalised service.

In Hong Kong and Mainland China, the hotels will be an integral part of Swire Properties’ retail and office developments. The first of these will be The Opposite House in Beijing, whose 99 rooms will open in the summer of 2008. This will offer an exciting new dimension to The Village at Sanlitun, the Company's first retail development in Mainland China and one which is set to become Beijing’s cosmopolitan centerpiece.

The Opposite House will be followed by the opening of a 117-room luxury hotel in Pacific Place, Hong Kong, in the summer of 2009 and a 90-room hotel at Taikoo Hui in Guangzhou in 2010.

Swire Hotels also plans to manage a 343-room lifestyle business hotel called East, to be open in Island East, Hong Kong, in 2009.

In the United Kingdom, Swire Hotels is developing a collection of luxury boutique hotels to be launched in 2009. Properties have been acquired to date in Bristol, Cheltenham, Exeter and Brighton.

The Managing Director of Swire Hotels is Brian Williams, an experienced hotelier who spent 17 years with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and, immediately prior to joining Swire Properties in January 2006, was Chief Executive of the Scotsman Hotel Group.

“This new initiative will take Swire Properties’ involvement in the hotel arena to a new level,” said Mr. Williams. “The hotels we are developing will appeal to a distinct group of travellers who seek out individuality and a unique luxury experience. We very much look forward to the opening of our first hotel, The Opposite House, in Beijing this summer.”

太古坊西式小店
21 February 2009
香港經濟日報
　　
走在太古坊街道上，益發有另一個中環的感覺。人們腳步急促，吃頓飯只為求裹腹，如今更慳錢至上，要快又要平。

喜見區內仍有一些西式小店，堅持自家出品，有做 Pizza、有焗製麵包、糕餅、批與撻，讓忙碌的上班族每天可以吃到新鮮的出品。

自家製麵包 ○ Pumpernickel

來到太古坊的 Pumpernickel (黑麥)，像遇見老朋友，從麵包和咖啡飄散出那股熟悉的味道，落地玻璃窗前幾張玻璃圓檯和籐椅，感覺似曾相識。黑麥的女主人 Joan 不諱言，這家店跟天后店的感覺相像，「起初沒有刻意去選擇，只是覺得從室內看出去的景物，近觀有學校、又有九龍的遠景，附近還有公園，環境好 relax。裝上落地玻璃加高了地台後，發覺跟我們第一間的天后店，原來也有點相似。」而且新店的面積更寬敞、座位較天后店為多。

店子的麵包櫃，也是從早上開始放滿了大大小小的自家製麵包，如招牌的黑麥包、杏仁檸檬皮包、露絲瑪莉薯仔扁包等受歡迎款式；Joan 打算今年會推出幾款意大利包，如 Focaccia 等。客人可以獨立購買麵包，要是點選連餐湯的套餐也會配有小片麵包；個人喜歡點三文治，因為揀選餡料的同時，還可以選擇不同的麵包，每次產生不同的味道火花。現時午餐供應意粉為主，本月底起將會推出 All Day Breakfast。

也許處於寫字樓區的關係，午市過後回歸平靜，獨個兒來歎下午茶最好不過。晚上 7 點半過後，麵包還有 7 折優惠，OL 放工便可以順道買回家作明天的早餐。

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飲食 info

Pumpernickel 黑麥
地址：則魚涌海提街 20 號濱海大廈地下 C1 及 C2
電話：2811 1361
營業時間：周一至六 7:30am-10pm；周日及公眾假期 9:30am-10pm

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香脆薄餅 ○ Ziti's

05 年的時候，Ziti’s 只是大坑浣紗街街尾 3 數張檯規模的小店，後來搬至同區中華遊樂會對面稍大的舖位，如今跨區在太古坊開設分店，擴充成現在室內可容納約 30 人加上室外露天座位的小型西餐館。

拓展版圖，原來因為外送服務供不應求。大坑店只限送灣仔至炮台山，加上經常滿座的堂食，老闆兼大廚司徒師傅只好放棄則魚涌、西灣河範圍的柯打。所以太古坊分店特別訂購最多可以同時焗製 10 個大薄餅的電焗爐，足以應付堂食，及北角至杏花村的外送。

不變的是自家製薄餅，依舊用高級的意大利 00 麵粉來搓粉糰，有柯打才開始造餅底、鋪上材料。做意大利菜有 20 年經驗的司徒師傅強調：「落 Mozzarella 芝士也需要分開兩次，焗出來的薄餅才不易出油，影響品質。」現時 Ziti’s 的薄餅有 19 款選擇，以精簡口味的意式為主，而非集團大堆頭出品，可選擇雙拼（價錢取較高者），定價與大坑店相同。有薄餅，當然也不少得意粉，另外亦有香口的頭盤小食、燒烤主菜，以及新推出的肉食或鮮魚的 Combo 餐（連餐湯、沙律及飲品），來迎合本區的客路。

...................

飲食 info

Ziti's
地址：則魚涌海灣街 29 號地下
電話：2960 0606
營業時間：12nn-10:30pm

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西式包餅糕點 Saffron

美國人 Sally 於 6 年前在港島

南區開了 Saffron，那時候本地仍未盛行 Homemade Bakery & Cafe。過了 3 個年頭，太古坊店也開幕了，當時主要為外賣服務，現時增設了堂食。Sally 本身熱愛製作包餅糕點，曾在法國學廚，一心希望將地道的西方飲食文化帶給香港人。她採購近 8 成的歐美食材，並沿用傳統的 recipe，由原材料開始製作，Saffron 的麵包、蛋糕、批和撻，一概自家生產，以美式為主，亦有歐洲及澳洲式，所以味道也特別濃郁。午餐亦有沙律、意粉式野米飯供應，主要為素食，甚受本區外國客人歡迎。

...................

飲食 info

Saffron
地址：則魚涌海光街 34 號
電話：2561 6695
營業時間：周一至五 8am-7pm；周六、日及公眾假期 休息

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太古坊小店多

太古坊幾幢巨廈外圍的小街，幾乎全被食店佔據，以西式餐飲來說，有大集團不同的品牌、有連鎖快餐店；不過個體戶小店也不少，以上 3 間之外，另有其他選擇。論「年資」，Crossroads Coffee（2565 6897）在區內有 9 個年頭，一杯 Ginger Latte 最為人樂道。同樣是「前輩」級的 Sprouts（2856 9448），在本地漢堡包熱潮未盛之時，早已熱賣。屬新丁的 Four Season（2565 5666）外賣店，則以多種口味的墨西哥式熱狗為主。要飽肚一點，大家可以選擇吃意粉，座位較少的 beans（8201 9868）及有每人最低消費要求的 Mix & Match （2127 7029），供應較港式口味的意粉餐。晚上放工後，要吃得精緻點，Jubal（2880 9339）及 Two Days per Week（2579 0743）亦供應 Fine Dining 的菜式。

Erm a summary please?

Also, interesting that this is in the skyscraper' section. Or has someone just forgotten to have it moved?

What a project, nice giants in the skyline !

Eased height limits pave way for taller buildings in Quarry Bay
16 May 2009
South China Morning Post

Taller buildings will be allowed in Quarry Bay after the Town Planning Board accepted a developer's suggestion to ease height limits on redevelopments in Taikoo Place.

The decision will benefit plans by Swire Properties, approved in the 1990s, to redevelop Somerset House, Cornwall House and Warwick House into two commercial high-rises.

The board yesterday agreed to Swire's counterproposal to relax the height limits for both high-rises to 225 metres and 195 metres.

The developer had initially wanted those buildings to be 295 metres and 160 metres high, but the Planning Department last year proposed height limits on new commercial developments in Quarry Bay ranging from 100 metres to 200 metres.

The board's decision was challenged by residents and the district council on the grounds that the relaxed restrictions would undermine the protection of ridgeline views: some "free building zones" - the proportion of visible hilltop to building height - would be reduced from 20 per cent to just 5 per cent.

The board received about 300 objections after the Planning Department's proposal. It relaxed the rules for Taikoo Place after listening to objectors' views yesterday.

But the developer is required to reserve a 10-metre-wide, non-building area on the site of Somerset House to allow better movement of air. The board rejected Swire's request to confine the non-building area to the ground level. Swire had opposed the proposed height restrictions, under which the two high-rises could not exceed 200 metres.

The department had said the limits were meant to avoid a negative impact on the district's visual quality and to preserve views of the ridgelines of Tai Tam Country Park and Mount Parker from the vantage point at Kai Tak. It said the height limits and other requirements were based on an air ventilation study.

A spokeswoman for Swire Properties said the proposed height restrictions had affected their redevelopment projects in Taikoo Place, Sai Wan Terrace and Cityplaza.

"We were not properly consulted on the new restrictions," the spokeswoman said. "Taller buildings allow more open space on ground level."

A spokeswoman for the board noted that it was a "balanced decision" to relax the height limits as suggested by Swire, but to uphold the Planning Department's plan for a non-building area.

"Swire promised to provide an open space of 6,500 square metres for the redevelopment," the spokeswoman said.

Eastern District councillor Andrew Chiu Ka-yin opposed easing the limits.

Mr Chiu said residents were worried that the high-rises would worsen the traffic conditions and air quality of the Taikoo Shing residential development. "The force of the winds has intensified after the completion of One Island East," he said. "We felt the gusts when typhoons came."

Wong Kam-sing, spokesman for the Institute of Architects, said flexibility in building heights could be allowed as long as the quality at the ground level was improved.

"There should be more and greener open space to allow better air ventilation if taller buildings are approved," Mr Wong said.

太古西灣臺項目 力爭寬高限; 函當局建議增至135米 騰出土地綠化
19 June 2009
香港經濟日報

繼西摩道及太古坊項目成功爭取突破原定高限重建後，太古地產正就遭城規會否決的西灣臺項目，去信a展局力爭放寬高限，並羅列理據證明放寬高限為項目及社會帶來好處；該行動結果，將對日後同類型項目有關鍵性影響。

太古地產董事及總經理白德利（Guy Bradley）昨在記者會上表示，該集團則魚涌西灣臺住宅重建項目，因發展高度過高而遭城規會否決，集團現正草擬信件，短期內去信發展局，要求不要一刀切加入高度限制，在可行的情況下，可為發展項目提供彈性。

城規會早前設定高限120米

該集團於08年就西灣臺1至10號項目，地皮面積約2.85萬平方呎，向城規會申請以地積比5.8倍及建築物高度170米（主水平基準以上）發展，興建1幢37層高住宅，提供108伙，但城規會因建築物過高而否決該申請。

其後城規會修訂「則魚涌分區大綱圖」，就西灣臺用地設定高限120米，太古地產認為，在有關高限下，項目需要興建2幢住宅，加上地盤有發展限制等，建議放寬高限至135米，使項目可作單幢發展，認為這設計對比鄰大廈較佳，亦可騰出土地作綠化，但城規會同樣未有接納。

「肥矮建築 易造成圍牆效應」

白德利對於政府一刀切就各區用地全面加入高限並不支持，因為發展商就發展項目被迫向橫發展，興建一些既矮且肥的建築物，容易造成「圍牆效應」，相比之下，其實一些高而窄的建築物，反而對空氣流通有更佳效果，同時亦可騰出更多地面的公共空間。

太古過去相繼成功就西半山西摩道重建項目，爭取興建1幢達50層高住宅，另位於太古坊的多盛大廈及康和大廈現址，准由高限130至200米放寬至225米，而和域大廈現址則准由160至170米放寬至195米，有利重建。集團現計劃就該3幢工廈，重建為高樓底的甲級商廈，有助鞏固集團區內物業王國。

太古則魚涌3廈獲寬高限
27 June 2009
香港經濟日報

Height limit increases :
Warwick to 195m
Cornwall & Somerset to 225m

城規會修訂則魚涌分區計劃大綱圖，把太古地產旗下3幢大廈放寬高度限制，其中和域大廈由170米（主水平基準以上，下同）改為195米；常盛大廈和康和大廈由130米和200米，改為225米。

至於則魚涌英皇道1001至1021號的金山樓，則由「住宅（甲類）」地帶改劃為「商業」地帶，可重建之地積比由原先9倍大增至15倍。

另高山道77號高山道公園，康文署現向城規會申請擴建1座7層高的高山劇場新翼，提供600座位的劇場及有關粵劇排練、表演及音像製作的場地和社區設施，總樓面約11.41萬平方呎。

擬建的高山劇場新翼所在的高山道公園，佔地約34.81萬平方呎，計劃以地積比3倍發展，可建樓面約11.41萬平方呎。

有關發展將保留高山道公園的特色和改善公園的環境，而新翼和高山劇場可產生協同效應，打造高山劇場為粵劇及戲曲專用場地。

Previously posted by fatshe at skyscrapers.cn :

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太古坊2期重建 12年圓夢
[2011-03-03]
香港文匯報訊（記者 顏倫樂）太古地產經過12年的爭取，近日終獲規劃署支持其太古坊第2期重建計劃，項目於明日就會於城規會討論，料極大機會獲通過。按發展藍圖顯示，項目涉及3幢現有工廈，將重建為兩幢樓高分別46層及51層的甲級摩天大廈，釋放出的商住樓面多達201.5萬呎，料落成後呎租可達40至50元，估值接近70億元，由於地盤內暫時只有常盛大廈已統一業權，料會率先拆卸重建。

擾攘多年的太古坊重建計劃，近日獲規劃署「放生」，項目將於明日城規會上討論，規劃署文件顯示，該署不反對項目重建計劃。據了解，項目07年及08年時，曾兩度遭城規會否決，原因是大廈建築物高度過高，影響山脊線視線、佈局影響通風廊及阻檔景觀等，又指大部分休憩空間於發展後期才提供。


和域重建 階梯式46層


其後發展商再提交申請，調整佈局之餘，將其中現時常盛大廈位置的2A大廈，高度由295米（主水平基準以上，下同)減至225米，樓層由69層減至51層，現時和域大廈位置的2B大廈由160米增加至195米，高度由35增至46層，並會以階梯式發展，休憩空間亦輕微增加至68,891呎。


物業估值70億 康和改公眾休憩地


項目將可以提供多達201.5萬呎商廈樓面，有區內代理指，預料落成後呎租可達40元以上，而兩廈估值接近70億元。今年初發展商又進一步呈交修訂方案，調整其中2A大廈的發展參數，包括將地面空間由20米加高至25米，又將後移部分由10米增加至13.5米，亦設有10米闊的非建築物地帶等等，以助通風效果。

發展商亦分別回應公眾的疑慮。規劃署文件顯示，發展商會繼續與東區區議員進行溝通，探討改善方案，有環保團體建議11月至3月冬季期間不開空調，該署亦會告知發展商進行考慮；另外，亦承諾只要完成收購康和大廈的業權，即會展開拆卸重建為公眾休息空間，供市民使用。

據了解，項目諮詢期內共接獲305個意見，其中190個支持申述，包括來自現時工廈的租戶、市民等，反對意見亦有103個，包括9個東區區議員、環保團體、2個鄰近的大廈業主立案法團。


規劃署：釋放更多甲廈樓面


規劃署意見認為，項目雖然樓高仍達225米及195米，但已無阻山脊線，同時，申請應以獨立個案看待，其重建將釋放更多甲廈寫字樓樓面，亦合乎該地段的規劃意向，有助市場活化工廈的進度，另一方面，發展商亦已解決通風、街道視覺影響等問題，亦證明項目並未增加該區的交通負荷，故對項目重建並不反對。
3幢工廈整合重建兩幢

大古坊重建項目鄰近同系的港島東中心，資料顯示，第2期重建計劃涉及3幢工廈，包括康和大廈、常盛大廈、和域大廈，計劃重建為兩幢商廈。目前僅常盛大廈業權已統一，和域大廈及康和大廈仍未完成收購，當中康和大廈涉及8層政府業權，發展商計劃建議分兩階段重建，先將常盛大廈及康和大廈拆卸，之後才重建的和域大廈。

若回溯更早前，大古坊重建項目於1999年就獲批一個總綱發展藍圖，發展商已發展其中第1期發展計劃，興建為現時的林肯大廈及多盛大廈，發展商07年及08年就第2期重建向城規會提出申請發展，但兩度遭駁回。

太古坊重建項目獲批
2011-03-05

【明報專訊】城規會昨批准太古地產將太古坊內的3 幢工廈——常盛大廈、康和大廈及和域大廈，重建為2幢商廈（最新申請分別46層（195米，暫名2B座） 及51層（225米，暫名2A座）高。太古於申請書指出，會拆卸常盛大廈，先興建51層商廈，然後會興建46層商廈，並預料後者難以於2016年前落成。

先拆常盛大廈 建51層商廈

城規會有委員審理時關注到太古坊與港鐵鰂魚涌站的人流，經議決，於批出時加入發展商應考慮興建隧道連接兩者的建議條款，惟有官員於現場已表示以附近的地底狀况，興建隧道難度甚高。城規會最後接納各政府部門的意見，最終認為申請經縮減高度後，再不影響山脊線，加上商業綜合發展，符合規劃原意，批准申請，有效期至2015年3月4日。

太古經過兩次遭否決、多次延期，才獲得批准，市場人士預料，太古會隨即開展籌備工作。而太古亦指出，會先興建較高的2A座，而由於該座12年前曾批建達295米，所以太古稱要重新申請建築圖則，而太古指2B座項目（和域大廈位置），亦會涉及康和大廈的範圍，而康和有8層業權由政府持有，要視乎洽購進展才能動工，但兩廈施工各要4年，相信2B座能於2016年前落成機會不大。另外，就出售康和部分業權一事，財經事務及庫務局的意見亦指出，準備考慮申請人所提出的條件。

第二幢商廈 料難於2016前落成

根據地政總署提交意見指出，由於太古坊地契並無限制，所以重建不用改契補地價。地產界人士指出，以擬建2 幢商廈可提供201.5萬平方呎甲級寫字樓樓面，以每呎樓面逾1.5萬元計算，市值約300億元。而現存3幢工廈樓面92.3萬方呎，市值約為80億元。業界估計，扣除成本及重建租金損失，太古可藉該重建獲利逾100億元。

Source: http://news.sina.com.hk/news/51/1/1/2034390/1.html

What does this say?

Sorry for the Chinese - here's my rough translation of the title and first paragraph.

Taikoo Place redevelopment project approved

2011-03-05

Yesterday, the Town Planning Board approved Swire Properties to reconstruct three buildings — Somerset House, Cornwall House and Warwick House — within Taikoo Place into two commercial buildings. The latest proposal stated that one buildings will have 51 stories and 225m tall while the other will have 46 stories and 195m tall. In the proposal, Swire stated that Somerset House will be demolished first for the construction of the 51-story building.

:cheers:

Thanks

Sorry for the Chinese - here's my rough translation of the title and first paragraph.

Taikoo Place redevelopment project approved

2011-03-05

Yesterday, the Town Planning Board approved Swire Properties to reconstruct three buildings — Somerset House, Cornwall House and Warwick House — within Taikoo Place into two commercial buildings. The latest proposal stated that one buildings will have 51 stories and 225m tall while the other will have 46 stories and 195m tall. In the proposal, Swire stated that Somerset House will be demolished first for the construction of the 51-story building.

:cheers:

nice, it's about damn time this project keeps moving forward. i only wish the second tower would be in the 200m+ range too!:|

Yeah, it is kind of sad to see that Hong Kong is staying behind in terms of the skyscrapers...