The Harbour-front Enhancement Committee (HEC) agreed at its fifth meeting today (January 13) to accept a proposed set of Harbour Planning Principles as a working draft for further consultation.
The Harbour Planning Principles, formulated with the aim to reflect changing circumstances and community aspiration, will form the basis of guidelines for all relevant individuals and organizations in the planning, development and management of Victoria Harbour and its waterfront areas. It will be a living set of principles subject to further amendments in the future.
As a start for further consultation, the eight key planning principles are "Preserving Victoria Harbour as a Natural, Public and Economic Asset", "Victoria Harbour as Hong Kong's Identity", "A Vibrant Harbour", "An Accessible Harbour", "Maximizing Harbour-front for Public Enjoyment", "Integrated Planning for a World-class Harbour", "Sustainable Development of the Harbour" and "Early and Ongoing Stakeholder Engagement".
"Upon further consultation, the principles can be applied, tested and refined in the harbour planning review and studies such as the Kai Tak and Wan Chai Reviews at key harbour-front areas," said the Chairman of the HEC, Professor Lee Chack-fan.
"As a 'living' document, the principles are subject to review to reflect further input from other organizations and changing planning circumstances and public aspiration where appropriate," Professor Lee added.
Members were also briefed on the Government's proposal to develop a permanent domestic heliport at a site that lies along the waterfront in front of the Western Park Sports Centre in Sheung Wan. Members discussed whether the heliport should be located near the waterfront. Some Members opined that a least intrusive solution should be worked out to balance the need for providing public accessibility to the waterfront and meeting the needs of the helicopter operators and clients. Upon Members' request, the Economic Development and Labour Bureau would provide Members with a comprehensive picture of the proposed heliport development along both sides of the Harbour.
At today's meeting, the Citizen Envisioning@Harbour and the Business Environment Council (BEC) gave presentations on "Living Harbour Review" and "Integrated Planning for Victoria Harbour" respectively.
"Members noted that Planning Department had done researches on the potential uses of the Harbour and would share the findings with Members. Members agreed that the matter would be further deliberated at the Sub-committee on Harbour Plan Review," said Professor Lee.
In response to the BEC's presentation on "Integrated Harbour Planning", Members shared the vision for adopting an integrated approach to Harbour planning. Nevertheless, the BEC's recommendation for an overhaul of existing uses within the Harbour would have substantial implications and this would have to be further examined by the Sub-committee on Harbour Plan Review.
As regards the BEC's proposal of setting up a Harbour Authority, Planning Department would share with the Sub-committee on Harbour Plan Review the past researches on the institutional mechanism for planning and managing the Harbour.
The meeting discussed the progress reports from the three HEC Sub-committees, namely the Sub-committees on South East Kowloon Development Review, Harbour Plan Review and Wan Chai Development Phase II Review. Members noted, among other things, that the public envisioning process on the Wan Chai Development Phase II project would be launched very soon.
Members also noted that the Society for Protection of the Harbour Limited's proposal to rezone the land use of Central Reclamation Phase III would be considered by the Town Planning Board in due course.
The next HEC meeting will be held on March 3, 2005.
Ends/Thursday, January 13, 2005
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