The Government today (April 30) announced the resumption of a private lot at Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai, for the revitalisation of the Blue House Cluster at Stone Nullah Lane/ Hing Wan Street/ King Sing Street, Wan Chai.
The Blue House Cluster comprises nine blocks of buildings and a piece of vacant government land. Eight of the buildings are government buildings while the ninth is erected on the private lot at Stone Nullah Lane. The private lot will be resumed under the Lands Resumption Ordinance. It will revert to the Government three months from the date of the resumption notice being affixed on site. Details of the private lot affected are gazetted today.
Affected owners may make statutory claims under the Lands Resumption Ordinance and, if the claims cannot be settled by agreement, may apply to the Lands Tribunal for adjudication. Any professional fees reasonably incurred for making such claims may be reimbursed by the Government.
Affected eligible tenants may opt to stay in the Blue House Cluster and to lease units at rent, or opt to move out. Those eligible domestic tenants who opt to move out will be offered rehousing or ex-gratia allowance in lieu of rehousing. Rehousing will be provided by the Hong Kong Housing Authority or the Hong Kong Housing Society. Those eligible commercial tenants who opt to move out may choose ex-gratia allowance in lieu of the compensation assessed under statutory claims for business and related losses.
Revitalisation/conservation of the Blue House Cluster is a project of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA). The Hong Kong Housing Society will assist the URA in its implementation. In the 2007-08 Policy Address, the Government introduced a range of heritage conservation initiatives, including the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme. The Government and the URA have agreed to include the Blue House Cluster into the Revitalisation Scheme for implementation of the revitalisation and conservation work.
The revitalisation of the Blue House Cluster will preserve the character-defining elements (including vintage architectural features of the existing buildings), retain the local community network for those tenants who opt to stay, improve the living conditions through refurbishment and put the preserved buildings into adaptive re-use through innovation approach.
Preparatory works by Government for the Blue House Cluster project are in active progress, with a view to inviting non-profit-making organisations to submit revitalisation proposals through the Revitalisation Scheme as soon as possible.
Ends/Thursday, April 30, 2009
Issued at HKT 11:03
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