Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point Harbourfront Areas Public Engagement Stage II Report (October 2019) Commissioned by Hong Kong SAR Government Planning Department Agreement No. CE 54/2014 (TP) Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point Harbourfront Areas Stage 2 Public Engagement Report TABLE OF CONTENT 1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Study Programme and Public Engagement ................................................................. 1 1.3 Structure of Report ...................................................................................................... 3 2 STAGE 2 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENTS/ACTIVITIES ............................ 4 2.1 Public Engagement Activities in PE2 ......................................................................... 4 2.2 Design Ideas Competition ........................................................................................... 5 2.3 Stakeholder Meetings .................................................................................................. 6 2.4 Roving Exhibition ..................................................................................................... 25 2.5 Written Comments Received .................................................................................... 26 2.6 Engagement with Harbourfront Commission ........................................................... 27 3 SUMMARY OF KEY COMMENTS AND RESPONSES .................................. 37 3.1 Summary ................................................................................................................... 37 3.2 Design Themes .......................................................................................................... 37 3.3 Connectivity .............................................................................................................. 37 3.4 East-West (E-W) Connectivity.................................................................................. 38 3.5 North-South (N-S) Connectivity ............................................................................... 39 3.6 Bicycle Trail .............................................................................................................. 40 3.7 Protection of the Harbour Ordinance ........................................................................ 42 3.8 Greening, Tree Planting and Shading Facilities ........................................................ 43 3.9 Marine Supporting Facilities and Wave Attenuation Measures................................ 43 3.10 Pet Playground .......................................................................................................... 44 3.11 Transportation, Vehicular Access & Parking ............................................................ 45 3.12 Celebration Precinct .................................................................................................. 46 3.13 Pierside Precinct ........................................................................................................ 47 3.14 Water Sports & Recreation Precinct ......................................................................... 48 3.15 Revitalised Typhoon Shelter Precinct ....................................................................... 51 3.16 East Coast Park Precinct ........................................................................................... 53 3.17 Implementation and Management ............................................................................. 54 4 WAY FORWARD ................................................................................................... 56 October 2019 (i) Agreement No. CE 54/2014 (TP) Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point Harbourfront Areas Stage 2 Public Engagement Report Tables Table 1 Study Programme and Public Engagement Process Table 2 Public Engagement Activities in PE2 Table 3 Summary of View from Pre-Engagement Meeting with Wan Chai District Councilors Table 4 Summary of View from Pre-Engagement Meeting with Eastern District Councilors Table 5 Summary of View from Eastern District Council Meeting Table 6 Summary of View from Wan Chai District Council Meeting Table 7 Summary of View from Focus Group Meetings Table 8 Rundown of Resident Workshops Table 9 Summary of View from Public Workshop 1 Table 10 Summary of View from Public Workshop 2 Table 11 Summary of View from 4th WGUDS Meeting Table 12 Summary of View from 23rd TFHK Meeting Table 13 Summary of View from 24th TFHK Meeting Table 14 Summary of View from 5th WGUDS Meeting Table 15 Summary of View from HKWSC Table 16 Summary of View from 27th TFHK Meeting Table 17 Summary of View from 6th WGUDS Meeting Table 18 Summary of View from 28th TFHK Meeting October 2019 (ii) Agreement No. CE 54/2014 (TP) Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point Harbourfront Areas Stage 2 Public Engagement Report Photos Photo 1 Study Website Photo 2 PE2 Digest Photo 3 Mr. K.K. Ling, Director of Planning at the Awards Prizing Ceremony of the Design Ideas Competition Photo 4 Group photo of participants at the Awards Prizing Ceremony of the Design Ideas Competition Photo 5 District Councillor Dr. Chow Kit-bing delivering a closing speech at Public Workshop 1 on 6 August 2016 Photo 6 District Councillor Ms. Kenny LEE Kwun-yee, MH delivering an opening speech at Public Workshop 2 on 13 August 2016 Photo 7 Discussion Sessions at Public Workshops Photo 8 Discussion Sessions at Public Workshops Photo 9 Sharing Sessions at Public Workshops Photo 10 Sharing Sessions at Public Workshops Photo 11 Street Exhibition at Pak Sha Road on 31 July 2016 Photo 12 Street Exhibition at Pak Sha Road on 31 July 2016 October 2019 (iii) Agreement No. CE 54/2014 (TP) Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point Harbourfront Areas Stage 2 Public Engagement Report Appendices Appendix I Summary of Stage 1 Public Engagement Meetings/Events Appendix II View Collection Form Template Appendix III Participants List of Design Ideas Competition Appendix IV Extract of Minutes of Eastern District Council Planning, Works and Housing Committee Meeting on 27 June 2016 Appendix V Extract of Minutes of Wan Chai District Council Meeting on 12 July 2016 Appendix VI Summary of Comments from the Focus Group Meetings Appendix VII Gist of Major Comments from Public Workshops Appendix VIII List of Commenters Appendix IX List of Meetings with Harbourfront Commission Appendix X Extract of Minutes of 23rd Task Force on Harbourfront Developments on Hong Kong Island Meeting held on 25 May 2016 Appendix XI Extract of Minutes of 24th Task Force on Harbourfront Developments on Hong Kong Island Meeting held on 19 October 2016 Appendix XII Extract of Minutes of 27th Task Force on Harbourfront Developments on Hong Kong Island Meeting held on 29 May 2017 Appendix XIII Extract of Minutes of 28th Task Force on Harbourfront Developments on Hong Kong Island Meeting held on 10 October 2017 October 2019 (iv) Agreement No. CE 54/2014 (TP) Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point Harbourfront Areas Stage 2 Public Engagement Report 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 1.1.1 The Wan Chai North and North Point harbourfront, comprising valuable reclaimed land centrally located in the Victoria Harbour, is an important asset of the people of Hong Kong, which presents an unique opportunity for ‘re-connecting’ people to the waterfront. The Planning Department (PlanD) of the Hong Kong Special Administration Government (the Government) commissioned AECOM Asia Company Limited (AECOM) to undertake the Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point Harbourfront Areas – Feasibility Study (the Study) in January 2015 to work out a sustainable urban design framework (UDF) and to formulate harbourfront enhancement proposals (HEPs) to guide the future developments and harbourfront enhancements for the newly reclaimed land covering the harbourfront stretching from the area west of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) eastward to the proposed waterfront open space adjacent to the Island Eastern Corridor in North Point (Study Area). 1.1.2 To ensure timely incorporation of public views, a 2-stage Public Engagement (PE) programme is developed as an integral part of the Study process. The Policy for Sustainability Lab of the Centre for Civil Society and Governance of The University of Hong Kong was commissioned to design and implement the PE process for this Study. The PE was carried out to establish a transparent and open communication with the general public and the interested stakeholders. 1.2 Study Programme and Public Engagement 1.2.1 The Study was undertaken in four phases: (1) Inception and Baseline Review; (2) Formulation of UDF and Preliminary HEPs; (3) Finalisation of Refined Urban Design Framework Plan (UDFP) and Recommended HEPs; and, (4) Study Finalisation. Table 1 - Study Programme and Public Engagement Process October 2019 1 Agreement No. CE 54/2014 (TP) Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point Harbourfront Areas Stage 2 Public Engagement Report Stage 1 Public Engagement 1.2.2 Stage 1 Public Engagement (PE1) was officially launched and conducted between June and August 2015. Its objectives were to gather public views on the UDF, raise community awareness on the Study, and identify urban design