Central Market

Project Background

Central Market Revitalisation Project is a response to the Chief Executive's Policy Address in 2009 that the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) was tasked to revitalise the Central Market under the new initiative of "Conserving Central".

A Community Advisory Committee was set up to conduct an extensive public engagement exercise from 2009 to 2011 to collect views and gauge public aspirations on the future use and operation of the revitalised Central Market building.  In 2015, the URA announced that it would adopt a simplified version of design to preserve the old building. The plan was later approved by the Town Planning Board (TPB) in March 2016. Subsequently, the General Building Plan was approved by Buildings Department in November 2016.

The Project will provide a total floor area of about 12,000 square metres, including the roof and other ancillary facilities, for affordable cultural and retail facilities.  An open space of 1,000 square metres will be provided at the existing atrium and entrance plaza facing Queen's Road Central, while the external walls on the ground floor facing Jubilee Street and Queen Victoria Street will be opened up to enhance accessibility and connectivity.  The new façade facing Des Voeux Road Central will also be re-instated to enhance visual permeability of the building.

An Ad-hoc committee was set up in January 2016 under the URA Board to take forward the implementation of the project and its future management and operation in accordance with the guiding principles, in particular in connection with the provision of affordable cultural and retail uses, which were formulated by the former Community Advisory Committee as a result of the three-year extensive public engagement exercise. 

In March 2017, the Chief Executive-in-Council approved to grant the site to URA for 21 years by way of private treaty for the revitalisation of the building and its future operation.

The Government handed over the Site to URA on 10 October 2017 for commencement of revitalization works.  The works had been completed by phases in October 2020 and January 2022 respectively and the premise has been opened to the public since Aug 2021.

Project Update

The public can view the details of the Project and latest progess at www.centralmarket.hk.