Part III:The Impact <strong>of</strong>42Urban Renewalon <strong>the</strong>Built Environment
The Built EnvironmentPart I discussed <strong>the</strong> origins <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> URA and Part II examined <strong>the</strong> broader political-economiccontext <strong>of</strong> Hong Kong’s urban renewal policies. Part III aims to document and criticallydiscuss <strong>the</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> urban renewal on Hong Kong’s urban landscape. Urban renewal hasdramatically changed many <strong>of</strong> Hong Kong’s neighbourhoods. Policies aimed narrowlyat addressing physical dilapidation and rationalizing land use have had repercussions forneighbourhood morphology, street-level vibrancy, public open spaces, <strong>the</strong> environment,and local economies. If we want to improve our urban renewal policies, it is necessary tounderstand <strong>the</strong>ir impact on all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se areas. This chapter will show that redevelopment’seffects on Hong Kong’s neighbourhoods are not a result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> URA alone, but arise from <strong>the</strong>interaction between <strong>the</strong> URA’s commercially-driven redevelopment model and Hong Kong’sstandard planning and building regulations. The URA enables <strong>the</strong>se “one size fits all” rules tobe inappropriately applied to fine-grained old neighbourhoods on a scale rarely achieved byprivate developers acting alone. If we wish, through urban renewal reforms, to improve <strong>the</strong>built environment as opposed to merely speed up redevelopment, we will need to review ourbuilding, planning, and heritage preservation regulations and policies as well.The Morphology <strong>of</strong>URA redevelopment projectsThe Average URA Redevelopment ProjectBased on an analysis <strong>of</strong> all 43 announced redevelopment sites as <strong>of</strong> January 2010:---The URA picks sites with a substantial plot ratio gain potential. The typical URAproject replaces 6-8 storey 1950s/60s tenement buildings with 40+-storey towerson podium blocks. On average, <strong>the</strong>re is a nearly threefold increase in GFA. Theaverage site has a pre-redevelopment GFA <strong>of</strong> 14,454m 2 , while <strong>the</strong> average postredevelopmentGFA is 41,342m 2 . 156 (See Appendix 1)Sites vary greatly in size. The smallest is Baker Court in Ma Tau Kok, demolished2 buildings and covers 227m 2 . The largest is Kwun Tong Town Centre, which willdemolish 24 buildings and cover 53,500m 2 .The median number <strong>of</strong> buildings demolished is 14.43MethodologyAs it was not feasible to conduct a comprehensive review <strong>of</strong> all URA projects, ten redevelopmentprojects and one preservation project were selected for study. Between May and December<strong>of</strong> 2009, site visits were conducted. These projects were chosen for variety in terms <strong>of</strong> size,type, and location. Photographs were taken showing size and massing, relationship with <strong>the</strong>surrounding neighbourhood, ground floor frontages, public open spaces, and GIC facilities.Additionally, Master Plans for seven <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> redevelopment projects were obtained from <strong>the</strong>Planning Department. These were scanned and where necessary superimposed on publishedstreet maps to produce <strong>the</strong> maps shown in this report.Please see table 1 overleaf for details <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 10 redevelopment projects visited.---Most URA projects require setting aside public open space, building GIC facilities,such as kindergartens, centres for <strong>the</strong> aged or disabled, <strong>of</strong>fices for charities orgovernment departments, community halls, cooked food markets and publictoilets.The larger developments also include transportation facilities like minibusterminuses, parking garages, and taxi lay-bys to reduce <strong>the</strong> need for vehicles tostop on <strong>the</strong> street.Most URA projects are mixed use developments with retail in <strong>the</strong> podium andresidential towers on top. Sale <strong>of</strong> flats provides immediate return on investment,while retail/<strong>of</strong>fice space provides long-term rental income.
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- Page 14 and 15: Part I:14The URA —A Redevelopment
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Social ImpactSocially sustainable d
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Left: Western Market has become pri
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98This spread from left: This anony
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Top: A naturally gentrified street
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102Comprehensive redevelopment disp
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104Luxury shopping at the K11 mall
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106A building rehabilitated by the
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According to town planner Ian Brown
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112Wan Chai Market. Built in 1937,
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118Conclusion
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Appendix 1Name of projectAddress/lo
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Name of projectAddress/locationArea
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126Endnotes1 HKSAR Planning Departm
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128110 Chan, B. W. (2002), “The h
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Room 701, Hoseinee House,69 Wyndham