Press Releases
Year 2008
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29 Feb 2008
URA commences planning for two projects in Ma Tau Kok
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) commenced today (Friday) the statutory planning procedures for two new redevelopment projects in Ma Tau Kok to improve the living environment of about 450 residents, giving an added impetus to facelift the district where building rehabilitation has been making significant progress over the years. Speaking at a press briefing to announce details of the new projects, Executive Director (Planning & Development) of the URA, Ms Iris Tam, said: "The projects, though relatively small in size and being the first batch to be implemented in the district, will complement the voluntary building rehabilitation efforts initiated by the Authority in the area over the past three years covering some 90 buildings involving 7,200 flats." The two project sites, one loca
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27 Feb 2008
URA supports URS Review
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) welcomed the announcement of the review of the Urban Renewal Strategy (URS) by the Financial Secretary when he delivered the 2008-2009 Budget Speech in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday). Being a key facilitator of urban regeneration in Hong Kong, the URA considered the timing of such a review as appropriate amid the ever-changing social sentiments and community expectations about urban renewal initiatives. "We will work closely with the Government and the stakeholders will be consulted in the review process to look into key issues, challenges and the way forward for urban renewal in Hong Kong. An internal working group of the Authority has been set up to give full support to the administration in the upcoming review," a spokesperson for the URA
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25 Feb 2008
URA welcomes the appointment of Mr Quinn Y. K. Law as the Managing Director
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today welcomed the appointment of Quinn Y. K. Law as the Managing Director of the URA, which will take effect from 1 March 2008. Mr Law has been the Executive Director (Commercial and Corporate) of the URA since November 2005, deputizing for the Managing Director of the URA in commercial operations, business strategy formulation and financial and human resources planning and management. Pending the results of the recruitment of a new Managing Director by the Government, he has been undertaking the duties of the administrative head of the URA for the last two months. "As the new Managing Director leading the Authority, Mr. Law's vast experience and knowledge in urban renewal, as well as his expertise in corporate and financial management, strategic bus
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25 Jan 2008
Invitation to Tender for Pine Street/Anchor Street Project in Tai Kok Tsui
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Friday) invited a total of 13 property developers to tender for the joint development of the Pine Street/Anchor Street redevelopment project in Tai Kok Tsui. The project covers a site area of about 25,000 square feet and upon completion, is expected to deliver a maximum gross floor area of about 225,500 square feet for residential and commercial use. Following the expression of interest exercise which closed on 28 December 2007, 13 submissions were received by the Authority. A tender review panel under the URA Board has decided to invite all of the 13 interested parties for tender, after taking into consideration their experience and financial strength to undertake the development in accordance with the requirements and criteria set by the Auth
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3 Jan 2008
Acquisition offers to owners of Nga Tsin Wai Village
The URA today (Thursday) issues acquisition offer letters to the owners affected by the Nga Tsin Wai Village project. Because of the unique circumstances of this project site, which is an urban village with some indigenous villagers, the URA has introduced a special compensation package, in addition to the two standard ones, based on the practices adopted by the Government for the resumption of urban area village. Standard Compensation Package The first method is based on Government's current Home Purchase Allowance (HPA) policy for domestic property interests, which is commonly known as the "seven-year rule." HPA is the difference between the market value of a notional seven-year-old flat in a comparable quality building in a similar locality and that of the acquired property. In add
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28 Dec 2007
Expression of Interest for URA's Pine Street/Anchor Street Project in Tai Kok Tsui
In response to media enquiries today (Friday) on result of the expression of interest exercise for the Pine Street/Anchor Street joint development project in Tai Kok Tsui, a spokesman of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) said that a total of 13 submissions have been received. A tender review panel under the URA Board will shortlist the qualified parties and invite them to submit a formal tender for the development. It is expected that the tender exercise will take place in the near future. The project covers a site area of about 25,000 square feet and upon completion, is expected to deliver a maximum gross floor area of about 225,500 square feet for residential and commercial use. (END)
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24 Dec 2007
Progress of Lee Tung Street Project (Chinese Only)
有關新聞界查詢利東街重建項目一位樓梯檔前商戶在利東街的抗議行動，市區重建局主席張震遠今日（星期一）發表以下聲明： 灣仔利東街/麥加力歌街重建項目是前土地發展公司在一九九八年宣布後未能開展的其中一個項目。經居民代表及意見團體的大力游說下，政府及立法會早在市建局成立之前，已經承諾會要求市建局給予優先處理。 重建利東街是大部分灣仔區居民和灣仔區議會的期望和訴求： 灣仔區議會在二零零四年六月委託香港大學進行的居民意見調查顯示，有七成的業主和租客，贊成全面重建利東街；贊成保留利東街的只有百分之四至九。市建局本身進行的社區訴求調查亦與區議會的調查結果吻合。 灣仔區議會在二零零六年十一月討論利東街項目總綱發展藍圖及在今年九月討論有關的道路改善計劃時均通過動議，要求盡快落實重建工程。 城市規劃委員會在今年五月亦核准市建局的總綱發展藍圖。 我看不到有足夠理由繼續拖延下去，辜負大部分市民和灣仔區議會的期望，而令利東街一帶變成「死城」。 原本在項目範圍內居住和營商的業主和租戶，全部已在去年年底前和平遷出。當時自動願意接納市建局或政府補償方案的業主，亦超過九成。 對於居民團體的建案，我們亦曾徵詢保育專家的意見，認為利東街的唐樓沒有特殊的歷史價值或建築特色，城規上訴委員會也有同樣結論，並在今年四月十二日的會議中，決定不接納H15關注組的上訴。同時，經過結構工程專家的勘探研究後，結論是利東街的舊樓相當殘破，不宜保留。 市建局的規劃方案，是經過數年來多番諮詢居民和社區之後訂定的，特色包括以居民團體所倡議的「啞鈴方案」布局進行設計，重塑利東街原有的矮樓街鋪特色。城市規劃委員會經全面諮詢公眾和灣仔區議會的意見後，亦在今年五月核准了市建局的總綱發展藍圖。 市建局的方案可以提供更多地面公共休憩空間，加強空氣流通，方便行人東西走向，及增加景觀廊。這方案亦有完整的
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21 Dec 2007
URA spurs sports activity zone in Mong Kok
Mong Kok will see the birth of a Sports Activity Zone through urban regeneration with the Urban Renewal Authority's commencement of a $3.14 billion Sports Retail City project spearheading the regenerating process. The Sports Retail City is designed to enhance the unique local character of the sports retail trade in Fa Yuen Street, Nelson Street and Shantung Street, which is dubbed Trainers Street due to its concentration of trainers shops. All sports retailers affected will be able to choose to move back to continue their business when the project is completed. The URA today (Friday) unveils an innovative design for the Sports Retail City by a team of architecture consultants led by Professor Bernard Lim. On the one hand, the design breaks up the building mass skillfully into a juxta-
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20 Dec 2007
Local Characters reinforced by a Thematic Wedding City in Wan Chai
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Thursday) unveiled plans to create a "Wedding City" featuring Hong Kong's first wedding traditions and culture gallery as well as a social enterprise pilot scheme in the Lee Tung Street redevelopment project in Wan Chai. Announcing the plans at a press briefing, the Chairman of the URA, Mr Barry Cheung, explained that the idea was to bring back wedding related shops and businesses to give a local character of Lee Tung Street which was destined for redeveloping into a new community hub of shopping, culture and leisure. All wedding card shops formerly operating in Lee Tung Street will be offered priority to lease premises to operate their businesses in the Wedding City. "The Wedding City will be thematically designed and decorated, and will prov
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13 Dec 2007
Invitation for Expression of Interest for Pine Street/Anchor Street Project in Tai Kok Tsui
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) will invite real estate developers to submit an expression of interest for the joint development of the Pine Street/Anchor Street redevelopment project in Tai Kok Tsui tomorrow (Friday). The project covers a site area of about 25,000 square feet and upon completion, is expected to deliver a maximum gross floor area of about 225,500 square feet for residential and commercial use. Parties interested in the project are requested to indicate their professional competence and financial capability to undertake the development in accordance with the requirements and criteria set by the Authority. Submissions should be made to the URA Headquarters at 10/F Low Block, Grand Millennium Plaza, 181 Queen's Road Central, by 5 pm on 28 December, 2007 (Friday). A