Press Releases
Year 2011
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31 May 2011
URA: Demand-led redevelopment model
The Board of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Tuesday) approved the framework for a "demand-led" redevelopment model, one of the major initiatives of the new Urban Renewal Strategy (URS) promulgated by the Government in February 2011 to encourage redevelopment to take more diverse forms in Hong Kong. This is in addition to the new facilitator role announced by the URA last month. Outlining the details of the demand-led redevelopment model at a media briefing this afternoon, the Chairman of the URA, Mr Barry Cheung, said it is intended to let owners decide if they want the URA to redevelop their properties, consistent with the people-oriented and bottom-up approach spelt out in the new URS. Careful consideration has been given to the arrangements of the new model by the URA Bo
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17 May 2011
Property acquisition for Ma Tau Wai Road/Chun Tin Street project to start soon
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Tuesday) announced that offer letters would be issued to owners of the Ma Tau Wai Road/Chun Tin Street project the soonest possible, probably by the end of this month. Eligible owner-occupiers of domestic properties affected by the project would be offered $9,785 per square foot of saleable floor area. Making the announcement at a media briefing this afternoon, the Chairman of the URA, Mr Barry Cheung, said the Home Purchase Allowance (HPA) rate for the project was endorsed by the Land, Rehousing and Compensation Committee of the Authority after careful deliberations. Until now, it is the highest rate being offered by the URA for domestic owner-occupied properties in its projects in Kowloon upon commencement of property acquisition for the proje
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18 Apr 2011
URA: Facilitator Role in redevelopment
The Board of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Monday) approved the framework for URA taking up the role of a facilitator in redevelopment, an initiative set out in the new Urban Renewal Strategy (URS) promulgated by the Government in February this year. In accordance with the URS, redevelopment will take more diverse forms with URA as "implementer" or "facilitator" to help tackle the problem of urban decay in Hong Kong. Outlining the details of the framework at a media briefing this afternoon, the Chairman of the URA, Mr Barry Cheung, said in-depth deliberations have been made to the new initiative with regard to the URA taking up a facilitator role, and the Board has come up with arrangements for implementation as a pilot scheme. Mr Cheung said: "We know that some property own
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15 Apr 2011
Hong Kong Arts Centre awarded the Main Operator contract for Mallory Street/Burrows Street Revitalisation Project
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Friday) announced that the Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) has been awarded the contract for the Main Operator of Mallory Street/Burrows Street Revitalisation Project ("Art Community") in a public tender exercise. Announcing the tender result at a media briefing this afternoon, the Chairman of the URA, Mr Barry Cheung, said: "In the coming year, the URA will work closely with HKAC to design and complete a custom-built environment at the Mallory Street project for the cultural and creative industries based on its innovative proposal. Upon its completion in mid-2012, this project will provide members of the public a venue for enjoyment of a variety of cultural activities." Mr Cheung pointed out that the URA had made three new and unprecedented recor
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1 Apr 2011
Roving exhibition on Central Oasis kicks off
A month-long roving exhibition on four conceptual designs of the Central Oasis revitalisation project of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) is kicked off today (Friday) and will be held at different locations throughout the territory until 1 May 2011 to facilitate public discussions on the way forward for the building. The Chairman of the Central Oasis Community Advisory Committee (COCAC), Professor David Lung, and the Managing Director of the URA, Mr Quinn Law, officiated at the launching ceremony. Professor Lung said the COCAC has been listening to people in the hope that the future building lives up to public aspirations since the project was announced in 2009. "We attach a great deal of importance to the views of the community on the way forward for Central Oasis. In this regard,
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31 Mar 2011
Integrated Building Maintenance Assistance Scheme with one-stop service launched
An Integrated Building Maintenance Assistance Scheme (IBMAS) to encourage domestic property owners and owners of composite buildings to rehabilitate their buildings will take effect from 1 April 2011. Under the integrated scheme, the five financial assistance schemes currently operated by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) will be consolidated into one integrated assistance scheme as from tomorrow. Director, Works and Contracts of the URA, Mr Stephen Lam Wai-nang, and General Manager (Property Management) of the HKHS, Mr Sanford Poon, unveiled details of the integrated scheme at a media briefing today (Thursday). Under IBMAS, owners will be able to enjoy the same assistance irrespective of whether the property is located in a URA or HKHS Scheme A
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25 Mar 2011
URA starts two new redevelopment projects under the new URS
Pursuant to its approved ninth annual business plan, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) commenced today (Friday) the statutory planning procedures for two new redevelopment projects which will be implemented in accordance with the newly promulgated Urban Renewal Strategy (URS). One of the projects is located at Pak Tai Street and San Shan Road in Ma Tau Kok while the other one is situated at Fuk Wing Street in Sham Shui Po. Speaking at a media briefing this morning, the Managing Director of the URA, Mr Quinn Law, said the new initiatives of the new URS will be applicable to the two projects, where appropriate. "Subsequent to the project authorization, the flat-for-flat option will be offered as an alternative option to cash compensation to the domestic owner-occupiers in these two pro
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21 Mar 2011
URA’s ‘Flat-for-Flat’ arrangement provides an additional choice for affected owner-occupiers
The Board of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Monday) approved the implementation arrangements for the 'Flat-for-Flat' (FFF) option under the new Urban Renewal Strategy (URS). Speaking at a media briefing, the Chairman of the URA, Mr Barry Cheung, said careful considerations have been given to the principles and arrangements of the FFF option which will be implemented as a pilot scheme. Mr. Cheung said FFF would provide an alternative choice for owner-occupiers affected by URA's redevelopment projects. FFF is only applicable to domestic owner-occupiers who are affected by URA projects commenced after 24 February 2011, the date when the new URS was formally promulgated. Under the new URS, the FFF option is offered as an alternative to cash compensation. It is not intende
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24 Feb 2011
URA welcomes Government's new strategy for Urban Renewal
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Thursday) welcomed the release of the Government's new Urban Renewal Strategy (URS), which entrusts the Authority with an expanded role in tackling the problem of urban decay in Hong Kong. "Under the new URS, the URA will be more pluralistic in its redevelopment approach, with the URA as a 'demand-led implementer' and a 'facilitator' in addition to undertaking self-initiated redevelopment projects," according to the URA Chairman, Mr Barry Cheung. "The new URS also offers broader compensation choices for residents affected by redevelopment projects. For example, with a URA new development, a flat-for-flat option will be provided, whether in-situ or in the vicinity, or at Kai Tak. This would represent an alternative form of compensation to owner-
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14 Feb 2011
URA welcomes re-appointment of Managing Director
The Board of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Monday) welcomed the re-appointment of Mr Quinn Y K Law as the Managing Director of the URA for a term of two years, effective from 1 March 2011. "Under the able leadership of Mr Law over the past three years, the URA has faithfully and effectively taken forward Board-approved urban renewal projects and initiatives that have helped improve the built environment of urban areas in Hong Kong, enhanced the quality of life of residents in old dilapidated buildings and benefited the community at large," said URA Chairman Mr Barry Cheung. Mr Cheung noted that the achievements made so far are particularly laudable in view of the challenges facing the URA during the Urban Renewal Strategy Review process, and a dynamic and sometimes difficult