Land Use Study for Hong Kong’s Harbour-front Summary Report December 2007 What’s on Hong Kong’s Harbour-front? n early 2007, Wilbur Smith Associates (WSA) and then later exercise in mind and there is a special jogging track, areas for ITMA Planning were commissioned by the Harbour Business tai chi, as well as shaded trees to keep you cool. This is a place Forum (HBF) to undertake a Land Use Study for Victoria with easy access, and people do enjoy spending time there. Harbour to gain a clearer understanding of the current and proposed uses of harbour-front land. The full report can be Making the harbour an accessible and enjoyable place to found on HBF website: www.harbourbusinessforum.org. visit is not only important in its own right, but also in the However, for ease of reading HBF has condensed the full Land context of securing the range of benefits that the harbour Use Study into this smaller report. provides to society and the economy. I hope that through this report you will gain a better understanding of what is on Hong Hong Kong arguably has one of the best waterfronts in the Kong’s harbour-front. world. Our harbour is core to Hong Kong’s heritage, an international icon and a source of inspiration and pleasure to those who live and work here. However, in many areas the harbour is inaccessible, and we do not maximise the full potential of harbour-front land. Much of the harbour is hidden behind skyscrapers, severely cut off by roads, or blocked by industrial buildings, temporary car-parks and bus stations which render many parts of the harbour completely Jon Addis inaccessible and un-enjoyable. Chair of the Harbour Business Forum Executive Committee Many harbour-front areas, even when accessible, lack vibrancy. If people’s needs and desires are not provided for on the waterfront then these harbour areas, no matter how well designed or planned, will continue to be lifeless. Many cities around the world have demonstrated how to create vibrant, accessible and connected waterfront areas. In Hong Kong we seem to find it difficult to create vibrant waterfront places that people can get to. That said, waterfront areas like Aldrich Bay in Shau Kei Wan and North Tsing Yi’s promenade are good examples of vibrant and accessible harbour-front areas in Hong Kong. Tsing Yi’s wide, extensive promenade is very popular and is a joy to walk down. This promenade has been designed with 1 What’s on Hong Kong’s Harbour-front? Contents 1. Background ................................................................... 3 2. Study Area Assessment .................................................. 3 3. Overview of characteristics of the Harbour ................... 3 4. Key Findings ................................................................. 5 – Accessibility – Connectivity – Land utilisation – Land use compatibility – Land ownership – The adaptive reuse of older buildings 5. Overview of current land uses ........................................ 12 About Harbour Business Forum (HBF) and HBF has based its strategic, long term decisions on a better knowledge on the economic, social and environmental HBF was formally launched in June 2005, due to a concern challenges of the harbour. Our popular International Speaker about how developments in and around our harbour could luncheons have made available specialist expertise by sharing have a negative impact upon the future development of Hong best practice. HBF has also organized a design competition, Kong. HBF is now one of the biggest business alliances, with harbour walks, a waterfront conference and other activities 121 business members – including 9 Patron Members, 30 that have all promoted harbour issues and have been Corporate Members, 53 Professional Members and 29 informative, educational work. Supporting Members from business chambers and professional associations. However, much remains to be done in delivering our message and positively influencing the harbour planning HBF is primarily a research driven think tank with a process. The business community does have a long term interest distinct, if discreet lobbying edge defined by its principles and in securing an attractive and vibrant harbour and the business objectives. These include the creation of an overarching agency community should be part of the harbour debate. In the future, for the harbour and the need for any harbour development to HBF will continue to lead the business response, as well as help have greater access to the harbour. We have stated our support influence policy within the government through our research. for the Harbour Planning Principles and called for their application to all future developments. Significantly, HBF’s For further information please visit: work has helped create a pluralistic approach to harbour issues www.harbourbusinessforum.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Thanks go to Dick Groves, Alex White, Will Furniss and Joe Ma for photos used within this report. Thanks also to Andrew Lawson for help with the editing. 2 What’s on Hong Kong’s Harbour-front? 1. Background 3. Overview of existing characteristics of the Harbour In 1999, the Town Planning Board produced a vision statement setting out the planning goals for the Victoria • Port-oriented Facilities: Hong Kong is the busiest and Harbour. The vision statement is to make Victoria Harbour most efficient international container port in the world attractive, vibrant, accessible and symbolic of Hong Kong handling about 22.6 million twenty-foot equivalent – a harbour for the people and a harbour of life. The units (TEUs) of containers in 2005. Container terminals Planning Department subsequently commissioned the are situated in Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi basin. Kwai Planning Study on the Harbour and Its Waterfront Areas Chung is situated in the western part of the Harbour 2003 (PSHWA) in December 1999 to translate the vision and Tsing Yi Container Terminals situated at statement and a set of goals into the Harbour and southwestern part of Tsing Yi Island. Apart from Kwai Waterfront Plan so as to guide future developments along Chung and Tsing Yi, the Harbour also contains a the waterfront areas and the Harbour. Under the Study, the number of other important areas for public cargo harbour-front areas are zoned and proposed for various handling and logistics businesses, e.g. Kwun Tong land uses including tourism, recreation, residential, public cargo working area, Cha Kwo Ling public cargo industrial, port, government and marine. The Study working area that handle the distribution of waste recommends potential developments in particular for paper, and waste metal and timber respectively. These tourism purposes. In 2004, the Court of Final Appeal container ports are vital, not only for Hong Kong, but (CFA) handed down its judgment on the judicial review on also for Southern China, as some 80 per cent of the draft Wan Chai North Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) and container traffic handled in Hong Kong is related to established a presumption against reclamation which can Southern China. The port of Hong Kong is also a only be rebutted by an overriding public need for major hub port in the global supply chain and is served reclamation. In 2005, the Harbour-front Enhancement by some 80 international shipping lines with some 500 Committee (HEC) further reviewed and revised the vision container liner services per week to over 500 and mission statements, and the planning principles. The destinations worldwide. revised vision statement is to enhance Victoria Harbour and its harbour-front areas to become an attractive, • Marine-related Uses: On average, some 230,000 ships, vibrant, accessible and sustainable world-class asset: a comprising both ocean vessels and river vessels for harbour for the people, a harbour of life . cargo and passenger traffic, visit the port of Hong Kong yearly. Within Hong Kong, there are 14 typhoon 2. Study Area Assessment shelters providing a total of 423 hectares of sheltered space for the protection of local vessels and river trade The geographical coverage of the study area includes Hong vessels during typhoons and inclement weather Kong Island from the whole of the northern coastline with conditions. The Harbour also has ferry and cruise Siu Chau Wan point at the westernmost and Chai Wan at terminals, moorings for barges and non-cargo handling the easternmost point. On Kowloon side, it covers the ships. For example, New Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter southern coastline stretching from Ting Kau at Tsuen Wan and Tsim Sha Tsui Ocean Terminal. Other marine- at the westernmost and Lei Yue Mun at the easternmost. related facilities include the Royal Hong Kong Yacht The Study area also covers the eastern and northern Club in Causeway Bay. coastlines of Tsing Yi. The Study assess current proposed and proposed land uses for Harbour Districts in relation to • Tourism: The main tourism waterfront hubs are located the PSHWA, relevant Outline Zoning Plans (OZP s) and in Tsim Sha Tsui, Central and Wan Chai with the latest government proposals. For ease of reference in substantial tourism-related components e.g. shops, this report we have divided the harbour in the following tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, landmarks, seven districts: piazzas, and promenades. Examples include Avenue of Kowloon: Kowloon East, Kowloon Central, West Kowloon, Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong Convention and West Harbour Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai and Central Piers in HK Island: Island West, Central and Wanchai, HK island Central. East Central and Western, Wan Chai and Eastern 3 What’s on Hong Kong’s Harbour-front? • Recreation, Leisure and Cultural: Some of the existing • Industrial: Clusters of industrial development are found waterfront areas are used for district parks such as Hoi along waterfront areas in Kwun Tong, Kowloon Bay, Sham Park, Sheung Wan Park and Quarry Bay Park. Hung Hom, and Shau Kei Wan. They provide substantial recreation-related facilities e.g. indoor and outdoor playgrounds, and piazzas and • Government Facilities and Public Utilities: Government promenades for passive and informal recreational uses such as sewage treatment works, government activities.