A Sub-committee of the Harbour-front Enhancement Committee (HEC) unveiled today (January 23) a plan of public engagement under the Harbour-front Enhancement Review - Wan Chai and Adjoining Areas (HER).
Speaking at a press conference to unveil the plan, Chairman of the Sub-committee on Wan Chai Development Phase II (WDII) Review of the HEC, Mr Leung Kong-yui, said, "Through a public engagement exercise, the HER project aims to achieve a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable harbour-front at Wan Chai and adjoining areas and to satisfy planning, transport and infrastructural needs while ensuring that the WDII project complies with the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance (PHO)."
"The HER project will adopt a proactive approach to engage the public and enhance public participation throughout the process. To ensure an open and inclusive engagement process, a number of organizations have been invited to take part in the HER project as collaborators. They include the relevant District Councils, community groups, business groups, green groups as well as academic and professional institutions."
In the light of the Court of Final Appeal's (CFA) judgment of January 9, 2004 on reclamation, the Government has undertaken to conduct a planning and engineering review of WDII to ensure full compliance with the requirements of the PHO and the CFA judgment.
The HEC was established in May 2004 to advise the Government on the planning, land uses and developments along the existing and new harbour-front of Victoria Harbour. Under the HEC, the Sub-committee on WDII Review has been set up to advise on the WDII Review, which has recommended that an enhanced public participation should be adopted in the course of the Review. To achieve this, the HER project will be carried out under the steer of the Sub-committee in parallel with the WDII Review. Results of the HER project will provide input to the WDII Review.
There will be three stages in the HER project, namely the Envisioning Stage, Realization Stage and Detailed Planning Stage.
The purpose of the Envisioning Stage is to engage the community at an early stage to solicit their 'visions' on the types of harbour-front developments they aspire for at Wan Chai and the adjoining areas, while acknowledging the opportunities available and the constraints for development. The collaborators will play an important role in compiling a preliminary list of sustainability indicators for further discussion and endorsement by the public.
In the Realization Stage, based on the findings of the Envisioning Stage, the Concept Plan will be developed for evaluation using the agreed sustainability indicators with a view to arriving at a consensus on the preliminary development proposals.
In the Detailed Planning Stage, based on the consensus arrived at the Realization Stage, the draft Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) will be prepared in accordance with the statutory requirements and procedures of the Town Planning Ordinance.
"The collaborators' working group meeting held this morning marked the commencement of the public engagement programme in the Envisioning Stage, which is expected to complete in April 2005. The Realization and Detailed Planning Stages will follow with a view to getting the draft OZP ready for consideration by the Town Planning Board by the end of 2005. The statutory planning process is expected to commence in early 2006 and complete by the end of 2006," Mr Leung said.
At the Envisioning Stage, opinion surveys will be conducted from mid-February 2005 to mid-March 2005 and a series of public forums and charrettes will be organized from early March 2005 to early April 2005.
To facilitate the public engagement process, a consultation digest entitled "Harbour-front Enhancement Review - Wan Chai and Adjoining Areas: Public Engagement Kit" will be distributed to participants in the course of the process.
The public is welcome to visit the HEC website (http://www.harbourfront.org.hk) to offer comments as well as to keep track of the public engagement activities.
Ends/Sunday, January 23, 2005
NNNN