P eriscopethe <strong>redevelopment</strong> project. “Theone (committee member) whoproposes maintenance would becriticised,” he added.Chui Wai, Chairman of Allianceof Kwun Tong’s Urban Renewal, hasbeen living in Kwok Tai Building<strong>for</strong> over 20 years. He said the waterinfiltration problem in the buildingsis serious.“The buildings here are called‘salty water buildings’ because alarge proportion of them were builtwith salt, water and bricks insteadof concrete in the 1960s, when freshwater was insufficient,” he said.Built over 40 years ago, mostbuildings in the project area alsolack proper public facilities. “Thereare no lifts in these buildings.The residents have to rest severaltimes when they climb the stairs,”he added.“An old woman who suffersfrom nephropathy (a disease ofthe kidney) cannot climb up thestairs. Her son has to carry her onhis shoulders to bring her home,”recalled Mrs Koo Yuen Lai-yum,member of the alliance.Jacky Fung Wun-yin, <strong>for</strong>merchairperson of the ResidentAssociation On (Kwun Tong)Old Urban Renewal, said the<strong>redevelopment</strong> project of KwunTong Town Centre involves about5,000 residents, 70 percent of whomhave been living in the districtsince 1957.“What most residents hopeis the URA can offer a reasonableacquisition price and deal withthem as soon as possible,” he said.“Over 90 per cent of the residentswant to buy another flat be<strong>for</strong>ethe price of real estate pricefluctuates too much from thepresent level.”According to the acquisitionpolicy of the URA, proprietorsaffected by the <strong>redevelopment</strong>project would be offeredcompensation in the sum of themarket value of the property andan ex-gratia allowance, namely aHome Purchase Allowance (HPA).Kwun Tong residents are attending the residents’ meeting on the <strong>redevelopment</strong> project nearYue Man Square.JIMMY TSANGMr Fung added, however,the estimation of the market valueof the property, calculated bycomparing them to properties in thesame district that are sever yearsold, does not reflect the reality.“There are no properties ofsuch age in the project area. Noresidential buildings can be used<strong>for</strong> reference,” he said.“I heard of the<strong>redevelopment</strong>project when I wasabout ten.”Residents of another<strong>redevelopment</strong> project NgaTsin Wai Village, the last urbanwalled city located in Wong Tai Sin,are also discontent with the <strong>delay</strong>of the project which, they claim,benefited the URA and a developer,at the expense of the residents.The <strong>for</strong>mer Land DevelopmentCorporation revealed its intentionto redevelop the village in early1990s, but had announced noconcrete plan <strong>for</strong> a decade.Meanwhile, Cheung Kong(Holdings) Limited purchasedthe houses in the village <strong>for</strong><strong>redevelopment</strong> since 1982. It heldabout 70 per cent of the concessionsin the village.Early this year, the URAunveiled a <strong>redevelopment</strong> plan inthe village in cooperation withCheung Kong.Village tenant representative,Ng Hau-chuen, criticised thecompensation offers made bythe URA as unfair and notaccommodating to the needs of theresidents.Nga Tsin Wai Village has been established since the mid 14th century.“When the URA measured theproperties being purchased, theyonly counted the interior parts andthe windowsills were excluded. Thestandard was set by them and wecannot reject it,” he said. “The URAjust thinks of saving money.”Mr Ng added that the URA didnot consider the real situation of thevillagers.“The URA has not thoughtof the housing problems of thevillagers, especially the elderly.The rent is only about $200 amonth in the village. It is difficult<strong>for</strong> them to move out as the rentof other residences may cost them$6000 to $7000 a month.”Mr Ng said he had asked theURA to offer public rental housingto the elderly, but they said it isthe responsibility of the HousingAuthority.“If the people can apply <strong>for</strong> thehousing, they will not live here,”he said, “it is the URA which startsthe <strong>redevelopment</strong> project, not theHousing Authority.”Some villagers are alsoconcerned about the preservation ofthe historical buildings in the village.Nga Tsin Wai village, alsoknown as Hing Yau Yu Tsuen, wasestablished in the mid 14th century.Some traditional buildings such asthe township office and the templehave high historical value.According to the written responsefrom the URA, it commissioneda team led by Laurence Loh,member of conservation expertpanel of the United NationsEducational, Scientific and CulturalOrganisation in 2006 to carry outa conservation study. Under theconcept ‘Conservation by Design’to balance the old and the new, theoriginal village houses along theCentral Axis, Tin Hau Temple, theembedded stone tablet ‘Hing YauYu’ and the gatehouse would bepreserved.Village representative Mr NgShiu-hung said, however, the URA isnot committed to preserving thesebuildings.JIMMY TSANGP eriscope“It (the URA) asked us to sellthe concession of the buildingsfirst,” he said.“How should I explain to thevillagers if the URA demolishes thetemple? When I sell the concessions,I will not be able to keep theheritage.”When asked about his feelingtowards the village, village tenantrepresentative, Ng Hau-chuen,said, “Of course, I do not want anychanges. Da Jiu (a traditionalfestival held every ten years in thevillage) has been praised by manypeople this year. It showed the closerelationships among the villagers.This atmosphere may not be foundwhen the project is finished, as fourtall buildings will be built.”However, Mr Ng said he stillsupported the project as the villagewas too old to live.“The living conditions of thevillagers are seriously affected by thepoor environment. Redevelopmentis necessary,” he said.Mrs Koo (left) and Mr Chui (right) says thebuildings in Kwun Tong project area aredilapidated.JIMMY TSANG2223