Secretary for Development speaks about Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Wan Chai Development Phase II projects

Following is the transcript of the Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, speaking to the media on the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Wan Chai Development Phase II projects today (May 20):

Reporter: What kind of changes have been made to these projects of reclamation that you are satisfied that further judicial review  is unlikely?

Secretary for Development: The projects in question that have been authorised by the Chief Executive in Council yesterday, the Wan Chai Development Phase II as well as the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and the related works, they do not involve the Central reclamation. The Central reclamation is on-going and should be completed towards the end of this year. Since the litigations on the harbour reclamation back in 2003 and 2004, we have revisited the scale of reclamation in the Wan Chai Development. The 12.7 hectares represent the minimum area of reclamation which we have confidence that it will meet the overriding public need test as laid down by the Court of Final Appeal. Of course the more important thing is over the last four years or so we have engaged the Harbour-front Enhancement Committee, the professional institutes and a lot of stakeholders in revisiting the scale of reclamation and I would add that the early completion of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass now represents the great majority view and has the strong endorsement of the relevant District Councils on Hong Kong Island, such as the Central and Western, Wan Chai as well as the Eastern District Councils.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:59

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