Press Releases
Year 2007
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18 Oct 2007
Kwun Tong District Advisory Committee reviewed its work progress
市區重建局觀塘分區諮詢委員會今日（十月十八日）舉行本屆最後一次會議，回顧過去兩年該委員會在觀塘市中心計劃取得的成果和進度。 該分區諮詢委員會主席龍炳頤教授在會上提交委員會工作報告時表示：「觀塘市中心計劃在過去兩年能夠順利推展，以及透過多次的社區諮詢活動，得到社區人士的積極參與，提供不同的意見和建議，全賴各委員的努力和推動。」 市建局經過兩年由下而上的四輪公眾諮詢工作，將居民、社區和不同團體的意見，融會貫通，成為最後的設計方案，可說是社區的方案，並制定了相關的發展計劃圖，送交城市規劃委員會（城規會）考慮。 城規會已經於今年十月五日將該將該圖則刊憲，並根據《城市規劃條例》進行為期兩個月的法定諮詢。 觀塘重建計劃的「社區方案」顯示獨特的布局，包括雙層的公共交通交匯處，大量的綠化空間，高而不密的建築群。在加強市中心區和周邊地區的連繫時，亦保留本地特式的「街坊街里」街舖，新型購物商場和小販市集，應有盡有。 現時觀塘市中心重建計劃已進入法定的諮詢階段，龍教授強調，若果受影響的物業業主，包括大、小業主，在公眾諮詢期間表達支持有關計劃，便會為政府、社區及商界締造三贏局面。龍教授呼籲居民把握機會，積極及踴躍向城規會反映意見。 他同時說：「是屆分區諮詢委員會的工作將於本次會議後結束，本人對於現任委員的貢獻，留下深刻印象，並衷心多謝他們的大力支持。本人相信來年新一屆的分區諮詢委員會亦會一如既往，努力與各持分者保持緊密溝通，務求觀塘市中心計劃能按部就班及按既定時間表進行。」 龍教授表示：「最新一期《觀塘路》亦於今日免費派發。除了報導觀塘市中心計劃的最新消息外，更刊載專家對設計方案的獨特見解，可讀性甚高。」 （完）
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17 Oct 2007
Peel Street/Graham Street project begins property acquisition
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Wednesday) issued offer letters to owners of 361 property interests in 37 old buildings affected by the Peel Street/Graham Street project in Central & Western District. Measuring a total site area of about 57,240 square feet, the project is bounded by Peel Street, Graham Street, Gage Street, Wellington Street, Cochrane Street, Gutzlaff Street, Staveley Street and Kin Sau Lane in the Central and Western district. Buildings in the redevelopment area were constructed predominantly in the mid 1950s and early 60s, except for four pre-war buildings which the URA intend to preserve for adaptive re-use. The total development cost of this project is estimated at $3.8 billion, of which acquisition and rehousing cost is about $1.8 billion. The develop
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15 Oct 2007
Yu Lok Lane/Centre Street project begins property acquisition
The Yu Lok Lane/Centre Street project of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) in Sai Ying Pun will take a major step forward when owners of some 80 property interests within the site boundary are offered purchase proposals today (Monday). Occupying an area of about 23,000 square feet, the site is presently occupied by 22 buildings mostly built in around 1950s. They are generally in a very poor condition and deemed to be beyond economic repair. Some of them do not even have toilet or basic sewage facility. The redevelopment will help improve the living conditions of about 80 households, comprising 270 residents, many of whom have long urged the URA to redevelop the area. In addition to a new residential development above ground level, the URA intends to turn the long- dilapidated area
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12 Oct 2007
URA Chairman's Press Statement
The Chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority, Mr. Barry Cheung, issues the following press statement today (Fri). "After 37 years of public service including the last six years with the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), Mr. Billy Lam Chung-lun, Managing Director of URA, has indicated his wish to take a long-postponed break, and spend more time with his family when his current contract with the URA expires at the end of this year. Much as this being a great loss to the Authority, the URA Board understands his wishes, and respects his decision. On behalf of all Members of the Board, I wish to express our most sincere appreciation for the many contributions that Mr. Lam has made, not just to the URA, but also to urban renewal as a whole over the past years. Mr. Lam joined the URA not long af
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12 Oct 2007
Press Statement by Mr Billy Lam
The Managing Director of the Urban Renewal Authority, Mr. Billy Lam, issues the following press statement today (Fri). "After 37 years of public service including the last six years with the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), I have decided that it is now the right time to take my long-awaited break and spend more time with my family. As such, I have informed the Chief Executive SAR, the Secretary for Development and the Chairman of URA that I would not be renewing my contract upon the expiry of the current one at the end of this year. It has been my great honour to serve URA over the past years, and be allowed to play a part in advancing urban renewal in Hong Kong. It has been both a challenging as well as a fulfilling experience which I will look back with pride and fondness in the years
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10 Oct 2007
Response by URA Chairman to the Policy Address
The Chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority, Mr Barry Cheung, makes the following remarks in response to the Policy Address of the SAR Chief Executive: "The URA welcomes and supports the policy directives and initiatives for urban revitalisation announced by the Chief Executive in his Policy Address today. These directives and initiatives will help the URA further its efforts to meet the aspirations of the community. The URA will proceed to put together action plans for implementation accordingly within this financial year." (END)
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2 Oct 2007
Commencement of Nga Tsin Wai Village Project
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Tuesday) announced the commencement of the Nga Tsin Wai Village project in Wong Tai Sin, by ways of an innovative preservation-cum-redevelopment approach. About 50 staff of the Authority today conducted an occupancy survey at the village to ascertain the number of households and their occupancy status for the purpose of compensation and rehousing. "The Salvation Army Urban Renewal Social Service Team together with our front-line staff will pay special attention to those households who may face personal or family problems during the redevelopment process and provide assistance to them wherever possible," a URA spokesman said. Occupying a site area of about 49,900 square feet, two-thirds of the village houses in the Nga Tsin Wai Village have be
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22 Sep 2007
Visit by URA volunteers to old districts
一年一度的中秋佳節即將來臨，由市區重建局職員及其家屬自發組成的探訪隊，今日（星期六）展開愛心探訪之旅，特地探望了居住在市建局兩個重建項目的長者及單親家庭等，提早與他們分享佳節的歡樂氣氛。 今午近30名市建局探訪隊成員攜同應節食品，探望了西營盤餘樂里/正街和士丹頓街/永利街兩個重建項目內約20戶家庭。 這兩個項目的居住環境十分破落，長者居民亦比較多。居民對於探訪隊員表達的愛心關懷及餽贈，莫不欣喜開懷，笑逐顏開，令家中頓時充滿節日的歡樂氣氛。 今次是市建局職員及其家屬連續第四年，自發在佳節探訪舊區居民。過去三年分別探訪了中西區、大角咀區和深水?區的居民。
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14 Sep 2007
Conservation Concept for Nga Tsin Wai Village
Available in Chinese version only.
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20 Aug 2007
URA Statement on Sai Yee Street Project
In response to media enquiry today (Monday) on progress of the Sai Yee Street project, Mongkok, a spokesman of the Urban Renewal Authority said: This development will affect 16 sports shops or about 25% of the sports shops in "Trainers Street" in Mongkok. According to a survey conducted by HKU in April 2006, of the number of units represented by the interviewed owners, there were 43% supporting redevelopment (mainly domestic residents) and 42% supporting rehabilitation (mainly shop operators and owners of single-owned buildings). The Legislative Council passed a motion in January 2007 calling for the retention of existing commercial districts and bazaars with local characters. The URA needs to take all these aspirations into account in project planning. In the past few months, we