We have all been through the recent heated debate on harbour reclamation works. I am in complete agreement with the view that it is important to protect Victoria Harbour, which is an invaluable natural asset of the people of Hong Kong. I also accept that it is the undisputed responsibility of the government to do its utmost to protect the harbour and comply with the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance. We need to preserve the harbour for our future generations.
Diverse views have been expressed in the community on the legality and scope of the Central reclamation. As judicial proceedings are underway on the interim injunction application filed by the Society for Protection of the Harbour, it is not appropriate for me to comment on these points. However, I would like to reiterate that the government respects the rule of law and acts in accordance with the law. As the government and the society cannot reconcile their differences, the matter has been brought before the court. The government will, of course, be bound by the court's final verdict.
The question uppermost in many people's minds is: why does the government need to carry out reclamation works in Central? Phase three of the Central reclamation is one of the two remaining portions of the Central and Wan Chai reclamation, which started in the 1990s. Traffic congestion has all along been a serious problem in the business hub of Central. At present, east-west traffic on the north side of Hong Kong island relies mainly on the Connaught Road Central/Harcourt Road/Gloucester Road corridor. However, this has reached its capacity, resulting in frequent, serious congestion. As shown in the comprehensive traffic study conducted by the government, there is an urgent need for a new trunk road, that is, the Central-Wan Chai bypass, and other related road systems to solve the serious congestion problem.
In deciding on the third phase, the government has thoroughly considered the presumption against reclamation under the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance. As we all know, Central is full of buildings. On top of that, the MTR Island line tunnel and other infrastructural facilities are already underground. Therefore, it is impossible to build the bypass on existing land. If a new trunk road has to be built, we must reclaim land.
As early as May 1998, the Town Planning Board gazetted the Draft Central District (Extension) Outline Zoning Plan, in accordance with the statutory procedure under the Town Planning Ordinance, to allow the public to lodge objections. After careful consideration of all views and in compliance with the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance, the board decided to reduce substantially the scale of the reclamation, from the original 38 hectares to 23 hectares, opting for the plan with the least reclamation.
Subsequently, the government conducted extensive public consultation on the project and went through it in detail with the Legislative Council, the District Councils, various professional bodies, as well as the Advisory Council on the Environment, to reach a consensus. These organisations and bodies eventually accepted the minimum reclamation option. Moreover, the government also carried out various technical studies, including studieson the environmental impact, to ensure that the project would conform to all standards pertaining to town planning, harbour traffic, environment protection and water quality.
After considering the reclamation proposal, the chief executive, with Exco, decided to adopt the minimum reclamation option and gave approval for the works to be carried out. This project was approved by the Public Works Subcommittee of the LegCo in June last year, and an appropriation of about $3.6 billion was subsequently granted by the Finance Committee. The contract was awarded on February 10, with the works starting immediately, to be completed by October 2007. The contract involves the reclamation of a major portion of the area under the Central District (Extension) Outline Zoning Plan, amounting to 18 hectares, but not the whole 23 hectares. The project is well thought out and has gone through extensive consultation as required under the statutory procedure.
I treasure every bit of Victoria Harbour as much as everyone in Hong Kong does. In recent years, the special administrative region government has made every effort to avoid reclamation. Apart from the works in Central, we are reviewing the proposed reclamation to be carried out in Wan Chai North. The development of southeast Kowloon is the only other proposed project which may be subject to some reclamation. We are also reviewing both the necessity and scope of any reclamation in this location.
It has been alleged that the government intends to carry out reclamation work at Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon Point, Tsuen Wan and Green Island. This is simply not the case. In the past, government departments did carry out feasibility studies on the merits of reclaiming some of the areas mentioned above. With a continuing decline in our population growth, in recent years, the overall housing demand is also decreasing. This has an impact on our long-term planning and development. Following a thorough assessment, we have decided not to proceed with any of these. In other words, apart from Central and Wan Chai North on the island, and southeast Kowloon, the government has no plans to carry out further reclamation in the harbour.
In the past few decades, Hong Kong has developed into an international metropolis. Owing to the need for economic development, housing and transportation, considerable reclamation works have been carried out on both sides of the harbour. This has inevitably reduced its size. The government is determined to protect and preserve Victoria Harbour, the icon of Hong Kong. It is a clear mission of my colleagues and I to ensure that all of us in Hong Kong will have a beautiful harbour with an attractive waterfront for our enjoyment.
| Michael Suen Ming-yeung |
| Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands |