Press Releases
Year 2007
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23 Apr 2007
Kwun Tong Town Centre project : People's Choice
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has submitted the development scheme plans of the Kwun Tong Town Centre project to the Town Planning Board (TPB), signifying commencement of the statutory planning procedures for the mega project. Major design features of the project are results of an extensive consultation with the community, which include landmark features of a modernistic design, increased open space and greening, comprehensive community and commercial services as well as community-friendly features such as street and bazaar in traditional "kaifong-style". URA Board member and Chairman of the URA Kwun Tong District Advisory Committee (DAC), Professor David Lung, and the URA Managing Director, Mr Billy Lam, outlined details of the development scheme plans for the project at a press
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19 Apr 2007
Milestone for Building Rehabilitation and Best Rehab Building Award
The Chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), Mr Edward Cheng, said that the URA would set aside more resources to assist owners of old buildings to carry out building inspection, as the pace of rehabilitation is expected to accelerate when Government's mandatory building inspection scheme is put in place. The URA organised a ceremony today (Thursday) to mark the completion of rehabilitation works for 200 buildings involving 20,000 domestic units under its voluntary rehabilitation schemes. The ceremony also saw the presentation of awards to the 'best rehabilitated buildings' following a widely-publicized competition. Attending the ceremony as the Guest of Honour was the Hon. Michael Suen, Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands. In addition to the Chairman, Mr. Edward Cheng, othe
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14 Apr 2007
Sham Shui Po community workshop on urban regeneration
Local leaders and residents of the Sham Shui Po community gathered at a workshop today (Saturday) putting their heads together to explore possible ways forward for urban regeneration of the district as a blueprint for all concerned. Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), Mr Edward Cheng said: "this workshop was jointly organized by the Sham Shui Po District Advisory Committee (DAC) of the URA and the Sham Shui Po District Council, which is part of URA's ongoing efforts to ascertain public aspirations and views on the future blueprint of the district." "As one of the key players for the district's regeneration, URA is keen to see how it can contribute to providing some relief to issues relating to poverty and an aging population, Mr
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31 Mar 2007
URA Chairman visits Kwun Tong Project Site
The Chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority, Mr Edward Cheng, today (Saturday) visited residents affected by the largest ever project of the URA, the Kwun Tong Town Centre project. Over 200 URA staff have been deployed to conduct a freezing survey following the formal commencement of the project. Accompanied by the Managing Director of the URA, Mr Billy Lam (first from left) and the District Development Director, Mr Joseph Lee (second from left), Mr Edward Cheng (third from left) visited a family residing in a dilapidated building within the project site. Almost all URA staff have been deployed to visit families affected by the project, including juinor ones working as tea lady and office assistant. (END)
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30 Mar 2007
Kwun Tong Town Centre : URA Commences Largest Project
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Friday) announced the commencement of its biggest ever project - redevelopment of the Kwun Tong Town Centre - by conducting a freezing survey of the estimated 4,500 residents who will now have the long-awaited opportunity to improve their living standard through compensation and rehousing. The Kwun Tong town centre which occupies a site area of over 5.3 hectares, was built in the early 1960s and badly needs redevelopment. Local residents suffering from leaking roofs and walls, poor hygiene, clogged sewage and everyday traffic chaos have been anxiously urging for early implementation since the project was first announced by the then Land Development Corporation in 1998. Speaking at today's media briefing to announce details of the freezing surv
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29 Mar 2007
Sun Hung Kai Properties wins URA's Larch Street/Fir Street Project
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Thursday) announced that a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited, Standtex Limited, has won the joint development contract for its Larch Street/Fir Street project in Tai Kok Tsui in a public tender exercise. The project covers a site area of about 23,570 square feet and upon completion, is expected to deliver a maximum gross floor area of about 212,160 square feet for residential and commercial use. This includes the provision of a total gross floor area of about 10,000 square feet in the future commercial block for commercial/community uses by the URA. An initial plan is to turn it into a viable location for fostering local social enterprises, so as to strengthen community network, build up social capital, better serve the
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20 Mar 2007
Press enquiry on Sai Yee Street project
市區重建局發言人今日（星期二）回應新聞界查詢有關洗衣街重建項目的推行問題時表示： 洗衣街重建項目由前土地發展公司在1998年公布，至今已經接近10年。同時，政府在成立市建局之前，在居民代表的大力游說之下，亦在2001年3月向立法會議員承諾，會建議市建局優先處理前土地發展公司遺留下來的重建項目，其中包括洗衣街項目。 市建局董事會十分理解樓上居民盼望早日重建的心情，同時亦明白地下商鋪及部分社會人士認為應該避免清拆重建的訴求。 經過深入考慮各方面的意見後，市建局認為應該依照當年土發公司和政府的承諾，以重建方式處理這個項目。油尖旺區議會亦大力支持以重建方式，處理洗衣街項目。 不過在重建的大前提下，市建局亦認為，該項目必須保存地方特色和目前的經濟活動，盡量減少對受影響人士所引起的不便，不能夠忽視商鋪的憂慮和利益。市建局會持開放的態度，繼續加強與商鋪業主、自住業主、居民和有關人士溝通，探討一個可以盡量平衡各方面關注的方案。 (完)
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16 Mar 2007
URA tender closes for Larch Street/Fir Street project
In response to media enquiries on the tender submissions for the joint development of the Larch Street/Fir Street in Tai Kok Tsui, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Friday) made the following statement: A total of eight tender offers have been received for the joint venture development of the Larch Street/Fir Street in Tai Kok Tsui. A tender review panel under the URA Board will consider the tenders and make recommendation to the Board for a decision in due course. Among the developers who earlier took part in an expression of interest exercise for the project, 13 were invited to submit a tender. The project covers a site area of about 23,570 square feet and upon completion, is expected to deliver a maximum gross floor area of about 212,160 square feet for residential and c
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10 Mar 2007
Community Workshop on Sai Yee Street Redevelopment project
逾百位社區人士今日（星期六）參與市區重建局（市建局）舉辦的集思會，熱烈地為旺角洗衣街重建項目提出意見，協助市建局在規劃設計時，加強「波鞋街」的地區特色。 市建局董事會主席鄭維新先生致歡迎辭時表示，「洗衣街重建項目由前土地發展公司在1998年公布，至今已經近10 年。市建局董事會十分理解居民盼望項目早日得以重建的心情，但亦明白地下商鋪及部分社會人士認為需要保存地方特色和目前經濟活動，並應以復修樓宇為主體， 避免清拆重建。」 他說：「經考慮不同的意見和方案，市建局認為仍然需要依照當年土地發展公司和政府的承諾，以重建方式落實這個項目。不過，在重建的前提下，亦不能夠忽視地下商鋪業主及營運者的憂慮及利益，我們需要盡力和審慎研究怎樣可以制定一個力求平衡的方案。」 市建局油尖旺分區諮詢委員會主席林貝聿嘉女士表示，洗衣街項目受到社會高度關注，分區諮詢委員會亦曾多次討論這個項目，以及居民和社會上的不同期望。 她說：「要確保項目順利推行，必須得到社區的支持和認同。過去大半年，市建局一直與居民、商戶及不同社區人士，保 持緊密溝通，既體會到住戶面對居住環境日益破落的苦況，亦感受到商戶對地區經濟能否持續發展的焦慮。今次集思會，令市建局進一步了解，居民在強化『波鞋 街』活力和特色的真知灼見。市建局定必繼續努力，與社區保持緊密聯繫，透過大家的參與，制定對整體有所裨益的持續發展及平衡的方案，促使重建計劃盡早落 實。」 今日出席集思會的人士，來自社區各界，包括油尖旺區區議會主席陳文佑、立法會議員方剛、馮檢基及劉秀成、油尖旺區 區議員、市建局社區事務及公共關係委員會委員、市建局油尖旺分區諮詢委員會委員、分區委員會委員、居民代表、商戶代表、當區商會代表、香港測量師學會及香 港建築師學會代表、政府部門代表及關注團體代表等。由羅致光教授帶領的香港大學社會工作及社會行政學系調研人員，在場協助討
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26 Feb 2007
Press Information : URA Peel Street/Graham Street redevelopment project
1. Background Peel Street/Graham Street project was one of the 25 projects announced but not commenced by the former Land Development Corporation in 1998. The area comprises three sites bounded by Gage Street, Cochrane Street, Wellington Street and Kin Sau Lane in Sheung Wan. Total site area : about 5,320 m2 (57, 240 sq ft) No of buildings : 37 blocks (four pre-war and most are built in mid 50s and late 60s) Property interests : 360 Affected households : about 470 (some 1,120 people) Because of the dilapidated conditions of most of buildings and the poor living environment within the redevelopment site, the affected residents, Central & Western District Council, political groups and the community at large have voiced support for redevelopment and called on the URA to implement th