Mr LEE Kai-wing, Raymond, Director of Planning (DoP) retired this month. Having served the Government for more than 35 years, Mr LEE has not only witnessed the birth of the Planning Department (PlanD) and participated in the planning of New Development Areas (NDAs). During the course of public engagement, he has also encountered violent protests and bottle-throwing episodes. He encourages colleagues to “be thick-skinned, have high EQ and dare to innovate”. Notwithstanding that many planning issues are controversial in nature, he deeply believes that as long as we can duly conclude our experience and stretch our imagination, we can foster city sustainable development and enhance liveability.

Witnessing the birth of the Planning Department

Raymond joined the Government as an Assistant Town Planner in 1985 and was promoted to Chief Town Planner in 2001, Government Town Planner in 2010, Principal Government Town Planner in 2013, and DoP in November 2016.

His public service career is inextricably related to planning work. In fact, PlanD had not yet established when he first joined the Government, and town planners were scattered in different departments to undertake their work. At that time, statutory plans of Hong Kong only covered a few areas and a large tract of the territory was left out. Not until 1990, with the establishment of PlanD, the Government started stepping up planning tasks and progressively stipulating appropriate development parameters for more areas.

Two unforgettable projects

Raymond said that planning tasks were multifaceted and among them, two projects were particularly unforgettable and challenging, namely Kai Tak Development (KTD) Project and Kwu Tung North/Fanling (KTN/FLN) NDAs (formerly known as North East New Territories NDAs) Project.

The KTD Project commenced in the 1990s, and Raymond had taken charge of it for more than seven years. He said, the public were then very concerned about the development of the former airport site, and the relevant plans had undergone numerous amendments. He recapitulated that the Town Planning Board (TPB) had received more than 900 objections back then. At another public engagement forum held in the park at the Runway Tip, the petitioners streamed in three-pronged by air, land and sea, to lodge their petitions, making a stunning scene. He said that the planning of KTD was by no means an easy task, but it gave him an invaluable experience in balancing stakeholders’ views.

Entering the community to garner public views

For the KTN/FLN NDAs project, we may still have the vivid images of the public engagement forum held in the lawn on Po Wan Road, Sheung Shui in September 2012. Raymond, as one of the hosts of the forum, recalled that there were thousands of participants in the venue, some brandishing banners and some even threw bottles to the stage. Noting that NDA developments would unavoidably affect the lives of some local residents, the government teams has continued to enter the community to engage the resident representatives, other stakeholders and professionals with a view to garnering their views and further improving the development plan.

Conclude the past and plan for the future

In retrospect, Raymond shared his reflection. He says “planning work is forward looking”. Nonetheless, planners do not have any crystal balls and will always find flaws when reviewing each and every project in retrospect. Hence, the basic ideology of town planning is ’to conclude the past and plan for the future’, i.e. conclude from past experience, eradicate the bad and pursue the good; and at the same time, stretch your creativity and imagination to plan for the future’. He hopes that his colleagues will have the wisdom of ‘hindsight’, and ‘be thick-skinned, have high EQ, and dare to innovate’ to foster sustainable development and progress of our city and environment. Taking football, his favourite sport, as an analogy, he encourages colleagues to enhance co-operation and complement each other at work, since everybody has his/her own strengths and weaknesses, just like players of a football team. After all, planning is about teamwork.

Heartfelt thanks to Town Planning Board members

Raymond expresses his heartfelt gratitude particularly to all TPB members, stressing that they are all very dedicated to their work and are absolutely no rubber stamp. He says that every time before attending a meeting to discuss various development projects, his colleagues and representatives of other government departments must get well prepared, otherwise they might find themselves at a loss for words under a barrage of questions. In fact, there were projects not being approved by the TPB and development projects that might not satisfy all; but he believed that by going through statutory regulations and procedures, we could strike a balance amid controversies to keep the entire city moving forward.

Talking about the life after retirement, Raymond said that he would take a short break before starting a new phase of life and embracing new experiences. Just as the saying goes, “to close a chapter and open a new one”. Here, I would like to take this opportunity to wish him a happy and healthy retirement in his new chapter in life.