Urban Design Study for the New Central Harbourfront Stage 2 Public Engagement Public Opinion Collection Exercise Final Report Public Policy Research Institute The Hong Kong Polytechnic University December 2009 Table of Contents 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ……………………….……………..………….…3 1.1 Background to the Urban Design Study For the New Central Harbourfront....…3 1.2 Public Engagement Programme ……………………….………………….…….3 1.3 The Consultancy Team……………………………..….……….………………..8 1.4 Modus Operandi………………………………………...….………………....…8 1.5 Scope of Services……………………………………………..…………………8 1.6 Objectives of the Consultancy………………………….……..…………………8 1.7 Schematic Representation of the Consultancy…………….…………………….9 1.8 Data Analyzed in the Final Report………………………………...……..…….10 1.9 Outline of the Report. .…………………………………………………….…...10 2 CHAPTER 2: ANALYSIS OF QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS ………………...12 2.1 Comment Cards……………………………………………….….………….…12 2.2 Face-to-face Interviews……………………….……………….….……………12 2.3 Telephone Polls……………………………………………….…………..……12 2.4 Comment Cards: Summary of Results ......…………………....………….……13 2.5 Face-to-face Interviews: Summary of Results……….…….…......…………25 2.6 Telephone Polls: Summary of Results…………...…………...............………28 2.7 Summary of Quantitative Data Findings ………………............………………33 3 CHAPTER 3: ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE FINDINGS …...………...…….37 3.1 The Sources of Qualitative Data ...………………………....…………….……37 3.2 Development of the Analytical Framework ………..……….…………............38 3.3 Frequency Counts …………………………………………..………….........…44 3.4 Analysis of Qualitative Data from All Sources ……………..…...…....….....…46 3.5 Qualitative Data Analysis: Summary …………….......…………………..........68 4 CHAPTER 4: FOCUS GROUP WORKSHOP AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FORUM ………………………….............………………….......69 4.1 Introduction………………………………………….…………………………69 4.2 Focus Group Workshop ………………..…………...………………….....……69 4.3 Community Engagement Forum ……....……………………………....………76 5 CHAPTER 5: PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS ..................................................................86 5.1 Introduction …………………………………….................…………...………86 5.2 Major Views and Suggestions.....………………………………………………88 6 CHAPTER 6: BRIEFINGS TO THE RELEVANT PUBLIC AND ADVISORY BODIES ………………..…………………...............................................................97 6.1 Introduction........................................................................................97 6.2 Town Planning Board........................................................................................98 6.3 Harbour-front Enhancement Committee and Task Group for Urban Design Study..................................................................................................................98 6.4 LegCo Development Panel and LegCo Home Affairs Panel............................98 6.5 Land and Building Advisory Committee..........................................................99 6.6 Antiquities Advisory Board...............................................................................99 6.7 District Councils................................................................................................99 6.8 Summary…………………………………..………………….………………103 1 7 CHAPTER 7: CONSOLIDATION FORUM ………………………………….....104 8 CHAPTER 8: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS ……………………………………...105 8.1 Introduction................…………………………………………………………105 8.2 Overall Design Vision…………..……………………………………………..106 8.3 Sustainable and Balanced Approach……...…………………………...………107 8.4 The Refined Urban Design Framework………………………….....…………107 8.5 Design Concepts for Key Sites………..………………..………….………….109 8.6 Other Issues……………..……………………………………………………..114 Figures Figure 1: Schematic Representation of the Consultancy……………………………..……9 Figure 2: Analytical Framework for the Study, showing illustrative examples of the breakdown into themes, categories and sub-categories………………….…… 39 Figure 3: Analytical Framework for the Qualitative Data (with text unit frequency counts) …….………………………………………...………………………………..…40 Figure 4: Themes identified in the Analytical Framework for Qualitative Analysis…....45 Tables Table 1: Summary of Comment Card Results (in percentages)…………………………..23 Table 2: Summary of Interview Findings (in percentages)……………………………….25 Table 3: Summary of All Quantitative Data ………………………………………….......33 Table 4: Qualitative Data Analysis: Distribution of Views on Key Issues………….….…67 Table 5: Summary of Findings in the FGW……………………………………………… 72 Table 6: Summary of Findings in the CEF……………………………...………………...82 Appendices Appendix 1: Sample of Comment Card (English version) Appendix 2: Weekly Distribution of Comment Cards Received Appendix 3: Sample of Face-to-face Interview Questionnaire (English version) Appendix 4: Sample of Telephone Poll Questionnaire (Original Chinese version with English Translated Version) Appendix 5: Sample of Comments Collection Sheet (for FGW and CEF) Appendix 6: PPRI Consultancy Team Appendix 7: Results of the Face-to-face Interviews Appendix 8: Results of the Telephone Polls Annexes Annex One: Minutes of Various Briefings to Public and Advisory Bodies including District Councils Annex Two: Report on Consolidation Forum 2 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION On 5 December 2007, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“Government”) commissioned the Public Policy Research Institute (“PPRI”) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University to carry out the “Urban Design Study for the New Central Harbourfront: Stage 2 Public Engagement – Public Opinion Collection Exercise” (“the Consultancy”) to collect, collate and analyze the public views received for the Study. This Report summarizes the results of the Consultancy. 1.1 Background to the Urban Design Study for the New Central Harbourfront The Urban Design Study for the New Central Harbourfront (“the Study”) was commissioned by the Planning Department (PlanD) in March 2007 to refine the urban design framework for the Central Harbourfront and to prepare planning/design briefs for the key sites to guide future developments. The Study also examines the locations and design ideas for re-assembling the old Star Ferry Clock Tower and re-constructing Queen’s Pier. 1.2 Public Engagement Programme 1.2.1 The public engagement programme for the Study comprised two stages. Stage 1, which took place from May to June 2007, focused on the urban design objectives, urban design issues and sustainable design assessment framework relating to the Central Harbourfront. 1.2.2 The Stage 2 Public Engagement (“Stage 2 PE”) for the Study took place from 11 April to end of July 2008. The focus was on collecting public views and suggestions on, inter alia, the proposals for the refined urban design framework, design concepts for the key sites, and design concepts for re-assembling Queen’s Pier and reconstructing the old Star Ferry Clock Tower at different locations. The study proposals are detailed in the Consultation Digest and webpage of the Study at http://www.pland.gov.hk/p_study/prog_s/UDS/eng_v1/images_eng/pdf_paper/dige st_eng.pdf 1.2.3 The Stage 2 PE has involved a wide range of activities and public views were collected through various channels, as set out below: (A) Public Exhibitions and Roving Exhibitions 1.2.4 To facilitate the public to have a better understanding and visual appreciation of the design proposals, public exhibitions with physical models, virtual interactive 3D models and other illustrative materials were the focus of the public engagement events. The public exhibitions were held at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre (HKHDC) from 12 April to 25 May 2008, and at the Queensway Government Offices from 27 May to 10 July 2008. A total of about 13,700 visitors visited the public exhibitions. 3 1.2.5 Seven roving exhibitions, visited by a total of about 11,340 visitors, were held at various locations to supplement the public exhibitions: (a) HSBC’s Headquarters, Central (15 to 19 April 2008); (b) IFC One, Central (20 to 25 April 2008); (c) Exhibition Hall, Lower Block, City Hall, Central (6 to 14 May 2008); (d) Exhibition Gallery, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui (2 to 6 June 2008); (e) Sheung Tak Shopping Centre, Tseung Kwan O (11 to 15 June 2008); (f) Sha Tin Town Hall, Shatin (17 to 22 June 2008); and (g) Lok Fu Shopping Centre, Wang Tau Hom (4 to 10 July 2008). (B) Comment Cards 1.2.6 Comment cards were distributed at the exhibition venues for members of the public to complete and deposit into the collection boxes. Completed comment cards could also be mailed or faxed to the PlanD. Comment cards were also distributed to, and collected from, attendees at a Focus Group Workshop (FGW) held on 26 April 2008, and a Community Engagement Forum (CEF) held on 24 May 2008. Samples of the comment card (English and Chinese versions) are provided in Appendices 1 and 2 . A total of 1,872 comment cards were received. Appendix 3 lists out the weekly distribution of comment cards received during the Stage 2 PE. 1.2.7 The Consultancy Team, in consultation with the Government and the Harbour- front Enhancement Committee (HEC) Task Group on the Study, designed the comment card to solicit the responses from the public regarding their views on the refined urban design vision, the design framework for the new Central harbourfront, and design concepts for key sites. The comment card contains five parts: Part 1: Design Vision 1.2.8 Part 1 focuses on the level of public’s agreement to the overall design vision and the sustainable and balanced design approach. Part 1 contains: two close-ended questions inviting the public to indicate