Press Releases
Year 2020
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19 Aug 2020
URA receives international accolade for its revitalisation of community space H6 CONET through “place-making” concept
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) adopted a new place-making concept in creating H6 CONET, the community space located on the ground floor of The Center, for public enjoyment when it was opened in October 2017. Following this major facelift and retrofitting of the venue, the URA has been extending its place-making effort to beautify the adjacent streets to enhance the unique local characteristics of the surrounding district. With its innovative planning and design, the project received international commendation for creating a community space in the hustling urban centre while inspiring thoughts of life. In the 2020 Muse Design Awards announced in April this year, H6 CONET clinched the highest rank of Platinum in the category of “Interior Design ‒ Civic / Public” to become one of the
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14 Jul 2020
Temporary closure of URA facilities
In view of the Government’s latest measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announces today (14 July 2020) that its facilities will be temporarily closed from tomorrow (15 July 2020). All educational activities and docent services will also be temporarily suspended until further notice. Facilities to be temporarily closed include the Urban Renewal Exploration Centre, SPORTS EXPO, as well as the community spaces, exhibition areas and multi-purpose rooms of H6 CONET, 7 Mallory Street and 618 Shanghai Street. During the temporary closure of H6 CONET’s facilities, all of its entrances and exits will remain open to facilitate public access to the six adjacent streets. While the Urban Renewal Resource Centre will remain open during office hours, its
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30 Jun 2020
URA enhances three subsidy schemes on building rehabilitation
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (30 June 2020) announces that the second round of Operation Building Bright 2.0 Scheme (OBB 2.0 Scheme) and Fire Safety Improvement Works Subsidy Scheme (FSW Scheme) will open for application on 2 July 2020. Together with the launch of the Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Needy Owners (BMGSNO) on the same day, the URA is providing comprehensive assistance to more needy owners to properly maintain and repair their buildings. In recent years, the URA has devoted additional manpower and resources to assist building owners in conducting building rehabilitation works. In December 2019, the Government further entrusted the URA to take over, from the Hong Kong Housing Society, the administration of the Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Elderly
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22 Jun 2020
Deadline for submission of second round application for Lift Modernisation Subsidy Scheme extends to 30 September
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announces today (22 June 2020) that in view of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on convening owners’ meetings, the deadline for submission of the second round of Lift Modernisation Subsidy Scheme (LIMSS) will be extended from 30 June 2020 to 30 September 2020, allowing sufficient time for building owners to deliberate and resolve on making the application. To promote lift modernisation and to enhance the safety level of aged lifts, the Government launched the LIMSS in 2019 in partnership with the URA to provide financial assistance and professional support to encourage building owners in need to expedite the planning and implementation of lift modernisation works. The first round of application for the LIMSS ran from 29 March 2019 to 1 August 2
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18 Jun 2020
Full reopening of SPORTS EXPO
In view of the Government’s relaxation of social distancing measures as epidemic situation stabilises, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announces today (18 June 2020) that SPORTS EXPO, located in THE FOREST in Mong Kok, will fully reopen on 19 June 2020 (Friday). Following the reopening of public visiting sessions in earlier time, SPORTS EXPO will resume its group visiting sessions and reopen its Virtual Reality (VR) game zone. The online booking service (https://k28.ura-vb.org.hk) is resumed with immediate effect for interested parties to book their visit at the date and time slot available. SPORTS EXPO opens from Monday to Sunday from 12:00nn to 9:00pm. The implementation of infection control measures will be continued at SPORTS EXPO to reduce the risk of infection and the spread
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11 Jun 2020
URA welcomes appointment of Eric Poon as Executive Director
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (11 June) welcomes the Government's appointment of Mr Eric Poon as an Executive Director of the URA, effective 15 July 2020. Mr Poon will succeed Mr Michael Ma who will retire next month. He will be responsible for formulating and implementing policies and initiatives on matters relating to planning and design, property and land, and corporate services. “Having worked for 23 years in the former Land Development Corporation and the URA, Mr Poon has profound knowledge and experience in urban regeneration and the work of URA, in particular in project and contract management for the implementation of redevelopment projects. On behalf of the URA Board, I look forward to working closely with Mr Poon, in his new capacity as one of the Executive Direc
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5 Jun 2020
Urban Renewal Exploration Centre reopens all visiting sessions and docent services
In view of the Government’s phased school resumption as epidemic situation stabilises, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announces today (5 June 2020) that, following the previous resumption of part of its facilities, the Urban Renewal Exploration Centre (UREC) will reopen all visiting sessions and docent services on 8 June 2020 (Monday). Following the resumption of public visiting sessions on Fridays in earlier time, the UREC will resume its visiting sessions for schools and non-government organisations from Mondays to Thursdays, as well as docent services at old urban district. The online booking service (http://urec.org.hk/urec/about/) is resumed with immediate effect for interested parties to book their visit at the date and time slot available. For SPORTS EXPO located in Mong K
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28 May 2020
URA publishes tender amounts of unsuccessful submissions for Tonkin Street/ Fuk Wing Street Development Project
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (28 May 2020) published on an anonymous basis the tender amounts offered by the unsuccessful but conforming tenderers in the tender for the Tonkin Street/ Fuk Wing Street Development Project (the Project) in Sham Shui Po. The URA commenced the tender exercise of the Project earlier and a total of 17 tenders were received when the tender closed on 7 April 2020. After careful deliberation by the URA Board, the URA awarded the tender of the Project to Wider Loyal Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chime Corporation Limited, on 23 April 2020. In addition to publishing the name of the successful tenderer and its holding company upon the award of the tender through a press release, the URA also disclosed at the same time the successful tender amount
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22 May 2020
URA commences two pilot projects in Kowloon City to redevelop buildings under the Civil Servants' Co-operative Building Society Scheme
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (22 May, 2020) commences the statutory planning procedures of two pilot projects in Kowloon City, which involve the redevelopment of buildings under the Civil Servants’ Co-operative Building Society (CBS) Scheme in response to the Government’s strategy of increasing housing supply through redevelopment of CBS buildings thereby unleashing the development potential of those sites, as mentioned in the Policy Address in both 2018 and 2019. Opportunity is also taken to improve the overall environment and synergise with other urban renewal projects in the vicinal area of the two projects by way of restructuring and re-planning. The Government invited the URA to explore and identify one to two clusters of CBS sites which are suitable for high-density de
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7 May 2020
Reopening of URA facilities
In view of the Government’s phased resumption of public services as epidemic situation stabilises, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announces today (7 May 2020) that its facilities will reopen on 8 May 2020 (Friday). The Urban Renewal Exploration Centre (UREC) and SPORTS EXPO will resume its public visiting sessions on 8 May 2020. The online booking service of the two facilities (UREC: http://urec.org.hk/urec/about/ , SPORTS EXPO: https://k28.ura-vb.org.hk/) are resumed with immediate effect for the public to book their visit at the date and time slot available. The UREC’s visiting sessions for schools and non-government organisations and docent services at old urban district, as well as SPORTS EXPO’s group visiting sessions and Virtual Reality (VR) game zone, will remain closed unti