Last Thursday, I visited Kowloon City District with several colleagues of the Development Bureau and exchanged views with the District Council members on the development in the district.  The Kai Tak Development (KTD) is not only the largest development project in the district but also a rare and precious one in the urban area.  It is undoubtedly one of our people’s focal points.  We visited the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (HKSKH) Kowloon City Children and Youth Integrated Service Centre at the Ching Long Shopping Centre, and chatted with the children there to learn more about their daily needs and their expectations of community facilities.

The children made a layout plan for the area around Muk Chui Street, through which they expressed their desire for a swimming pool, a “very tall slide” and a library as well as their love of nature.  During our chat, a child told me as he had moved to the Kai Tak area not long ago, he had to travel back to the New Territories for medical consultations at the specialist out-patient clinics.  He hoped to have a hospital closer to his home.  For those carrying out planning work in the Government like us, medical and community facilities, and open spaces are often represented as “blocks” in the outline zoning plans, or figures in the Planning Standards and Guidelines.  But for the children, these are something they look forward to personally.  I am very grateful that the children are willing to share with us what they want. Their pure wishes are the driving force behind our work.

During the visit, I also chatted with staff members of the HKSKH.  Their major concerns are the housing problem and property prices in Hong Kong.  The social workers there are largely from the middle class.  However, given the current level of property prices, it may not be easy for them to own a private flat.  However, they may not be eligible to buy subsidised housing either.  Therefore, many of them feel frustrated at their inability to purchase their own flats.  In this aspect, I am working hard with my colleagues to alleviate the housing problem faced by the general public.

The KTD is a large scale and comprehensive development.  Spanning over 320 hectares, it is a piece of precious, extensive land alongside Victoria Harbour.  We have been adopting the people-oriented principle and engaging the local community and the general public for the KTD.  We place great emphasis on providing residents with a quality living environment. With the provision of ore comprehensive and appropriate community, cultural, recreational and sports facilities, the local residents will be able to enjoy a better living environment.  Also, through provision of well-planned comprehensive road network and pedestrian connections, the connectivity of the district will be enhanced, thus adding vibrancy to the adjoining Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong.

The development projects in the district, spanning from south to north, include the completed Cruise Terminal on the runway tip, the Tourism Node (entitled the “Kai Tak Fantasy”) under planning as well as hotels, residential buildings and a waterfront promenade to be built along the runway.  Situated in the South Apron Area will be the first children’s hospital in Hong Kong under construction, a general hospital under planning, and some commercial and residential projects.  As to the North Apron Area, the Kai Tak Sports Park will be developed on the western side to provide sports and leisure facilities, while the eastern side will be mainly used for commercial and residential purposes and the provision of an underground shopping street.  These, together with the future Kai Tak and To Kwa Wan (TKW) Stations of the Shatin to Central Link (SCL), will convert the whole North Apron Area into the city centre of the KTD Area.  It is worth mentioning that “green” building is a major feature of the 320-hectare KTD Area, of which 100 hectares will be used as open spaces comprising the large-scale Metro Park and Station Square, and a 13-kilometre long waterfront promenade.  Furthermore, we will carry out beautification works to the section of Kai Tak River running through the area.  Upon completion of all the projects, the entire KTD Area will take on a new look and the surrounding areas will be better connected with the Victoria harbourfront.

As you all know, the current Government has been sparing no efforts in increasing housing land supply. The Kai Tak Area is a large piece of precious land readily available in the urban areas.  While keeping the previous planning vision with public consensus unchanged, we reviewed the land use planning of the KTD Area in 2014.  After consultation with the relevant stakeholders, including members of the Harbourfront Commission and three District Councils, we have increased the development densities of certain sites in the area, so that the precious land resources can be used more effectively.  We have now completed another round of review together and optimised the land use planning for the area, including assessment of the impact brought about by the previous discovery of relics near the TKW Station of the SCL, so as to increase the overall supply of housing and commercial sites in the area.  The review findings will be announced in this month, which will be followed by public consultations.  Members of the public are welcome to express their views.

The land supply in the KTD Area in the next five years will be mainly used for commercial and residential purposes, as well as the development of government, institutional and community facilities.  The development area will largely concentrate on both sides of the Kai Tak River in the North Apron Area and the former runway precinct.  Upon completion of these development projects one after another, the KTD will help energise the Kowloon East.
 
The KTD Area will provide nearly 50 000 public and private housing units, 2.3 million square metres of commercial and hotel floor area as well as the aforementioned facilities.  This will not only meet the needs on housing as well as social and economic development, but also, through quality planning, fulfill the wishes of the children who have made the layout plan themselves.