The Government has received five submissions after the Invitation for Proposals for the development of the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) closed at noon today (June 19).
The proponents who made submissions are : World City Culture Park Limited, Sunny Development Limited, Swire Properties Limited, Dynamic Star International Limited and Lam, Sze-tat.
"We will first screen whether the proposals comply with the Mandatory Requirements as set out in the Invitation for Proposals document," a Government spokesman said. "Those proposals that comply with the Mandatory Requirements will then be assessed against the assessment criteria, which are also set out in the Invitation for Proposals document."
The proposals will be assessed by a Proposals Evaluation Committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and Lands) and assisted by dedicated assessment teams drawn from relevant bureaux and departments of the Government.
To safeguard the integrity of the assessment process and ensure that proposals will be assessed in a fair and impartial manner, all officials responsible for the assessment are required to strictly follow guidelines and procedures that have been prepared for this project with the help of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). The ICAC will act as an observer throughout the entire assessment process.
"To enhance transparency and promote the widest possible public participation, we will exhibit all the proposals that comply with the Mandatory Requirements for public consultation," the spokesman said. "Our plan is to hold the exhibition sometime early next year. Concurrently during this period, we will consult professional bodies and the arts and cultural sector. We will take all opinions and comments collected into account in the assessment process. Before a decision is made on the selection of a preferred proponent, we will also consult the Town Planning Board and the Legislative Council."
Assessment of the proposals will cover three main areas : the technical aspects, the financial aspects, and the operation, maintenance and management aspects, with particular attention to the proponents' capability to ensure a high standard of operation and management of the arts and cultural facilities. Each of these areas is considered equally important, and each will be subject to a detailed and meticulous assessment by the Proposals Evaluation Committee.
The Government launched the Invitation for Proposals for the WKCD on September 5, 2003 to develop the 40-hectare waterfront site at the southern tip of the West Kowloon Reclamation into an integrated arts, cultural and entertainment district. The WKCD will not only facilitate development of the arts and culture in Hong Kong, it will also improve the quality of life of the community and promote Hong Kong's attractiveness as a tourist destination. The project will also generate significant employment opportunities, estimated at about 6,000 jobs in the short term.
It is envisaged that construction on the site will begin in April 2007 at the earliest and that the core arts and cultural facilities will come into operation in phases from 2011 onwards.
Ends/Saturday, June 19, 2004
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