21 September 2005 - Press Release
Business Environment Council hosts Conference on Urban Regeneration - A Key to Hong Kong’s Sustainable Future

The Business Environment Council (BEC) staged today, a one-day conference titled: Urban Regeneration - A Key to Hong Kong's Sustainable Future. The event, staged at the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, provided a timely platform for local and international experts to exchange views in advance of the government, consulting stakeholders on guidelines to be included in it's urban renewal strategy in 2006.

In his opening address Dr Andrew Thomson, Chief Executive Officer of BEC, remarked that, "Creating a sustainable living environment in Hong Kong involves a range of challenges unique to our high rise, high-density and fast changing city. In particular we face pressing needs to enhance older and often dilapidated neighbourhoods, without displacing the communities that have lived there for generations." He suggested, while it is tempting to bring in the new broom, we are in danger of developing a monotype urban environment lacking in vibrancy and a real community." He urged speakers to help us answer the single key question: How can Hong Kong balance urban regeneration in a socially responsive, environmentally sensitive and yet financially viable way?

Mr. Richard Marshall, Regional Director, Urban Design (Asia), EDAW Shanghai responded with, "Urban regeneration is about the remaking of urban situations - repairing cities. It is about the repositioning of urban economies, it is about bringing new life to older cities, it is about mediating environmental concerns, it is about bringing new vitality to areas in cities that have suffered from industrial decline and abandonment."

In the conference, keynote speaker Mrs. Rita Lau, Permanent Secretary of the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau (Planning and Lands), HKSAR Government outlined the future planning of the government in the issue of urban regeneration and waterfront development, "One source of land supply in the past is by reclamation. In recent years, there has been much concern over reclamation within Victoria Harbour, which is the most precious natural asset owned by the people of Hong Kong. The community has an aspiration for protecting and preserving the Victoria Harbour. We understand and share the community's aspiration and have committed to striking a proper balance between protecting and preserving the Harbour on the one hand and meeting the social and economic needs of the community on the other. We have also pledged that, apart from the current Central Reclamation Phase III, the proposals for Wan Chai Development Phase II and the Southeast Kowloon Development, there will be no more reclamation inside the harbour limit."

Overseas Speaker Mr. Mark Allan, General Manager, Environment and Design, VicUrban showcased how Melbourne's Docklands is developing as a magnificent water based destination and example of inner-city sustainable development. He explained that the waterfront urban renewal project, comprises of 160 hectares of developable land and 40 hectares of water regenerated from a disused and derelict port area to seven mixed-use precincts with an estimated value of HK$53 billion (AUD $9 billion), an inner-urban population of 20,000, a workforce of 25,000 and a destination of an average of 55,000 visitors every day.

Another overseas speaker Mr. Richard Brown, Head of Thames Gateway and Urban Projects of Greater London Authority shared the lessons from London for Hong Kong when planning for a sustainable world. His presentation outlined London strategic context, the policies and delivery mechanisms that aim to deliver this vision, and the lesson that Hong Kong could learn from.

Professors Lynne DiStefano and Lee Ho-Yin from the Department of Architecture, the University of Hong Kong, looked at conserving cultural heritage in the urban context of Wan Chai, particularly in terms of urban built heritage and its associated activities. Given the constant change that takes place in Hong Kong's urban environment, they argued that urban conservation is not about freezing time and resisting change. "Urban conservation is about retaining, whenever possible, the multi-layered intangible activities associated with tangible architectural and urban elements that combine to give a character-defining sense of place."

"Urban conservation", as they pointed out, "needs to take a holistic approach that goes beyond conserving the physical elements of individual historical buildings."

Dr Andrew Thomson of BEC concluded, "We are all playing roles in the development of Hong Kong's sustainable future, today's discussions have provided a fresh occasion for our experts to exchange their views and express their concerns in a manner that helps Hong Kong move plans forward."

Click here to download other conference materials.

About the Business Environment Council (www.bec.org.hk)

The Business Environment Council (BEC) is a leading independent cross-sector business association in Hong Kong advocating sustainable development. Its aim is to balance economic, social and environmental interests whilst empowering competitiveness. BEC is a Regional Network Partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Established in 1989, BEC has expanded to a network of more than 10,000 companies, offered more than 700 environmental programs, benefited more than 70,000 professionals, assessed more than 100 building projects exceeding 60 million sq ft, and organized the Hong Kong Awards for Industries in Environmental performance for 14 years, to name a few.

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Ms Wendy Lam, Senior Communications Officer, T. (852) 2784 3922