TOWN PLANNING REPORT
By kind permission of the Hong Kong Government
The Town Planning Report issued recently as a result of Sir Patrick Abercrombie's investigations in Hong Kong is of intense interest to all residents of the Colony, but particularly to the architectural, engineering and building fraternity since it points the way to prospective development in which they can eventually hope to participate.
No one can quarrel with the findings of this report or dispute the work which he considers necessary to bring Hong Kong in line with modern town planning ideas, but how possible the carrying out of his proposals are remains to be
seen.
The report is divided into three parts.
I-SCOPE
II-GENERAL PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPMENT
1. The Harbour.
2. Population, Size and Grouping.
3. Housing: Density and Redistribution. 4. Shops & Workshops.
Industrial Location and Zoning.
The Tunnel.
Railway.
Removal of the Services
5.
6.
Roads.
7.
8.
9.
10.
The Central Area.
11.
Open Spaces.
12.
The New Territories.
13.
14.
Tourism.
Ancillaries.
III-REALISATION.
Of the general proposals for development we reproduce three which we consider most important, viz. The Harbour, The Tunnel, and the Removal of the Services.
THE HARBOUR
One of the first objects of harbour proposals for town- planning is to obtain more land without impairing the Port. Sir David Owen's report is here a useful guide, but his recom- mendations have not all been followed.
The head and sides of Kowloon Bay are straightened, on the west as far as Tai Wan, on the east to Cha Kwo Ling, with a boat building yard at Ma Yau Tong. Hung Hom Bay is reclaimed, leaving only a harbour entrance for Hung Hom. On the west of Kowloon, Yau Ma Ti Typhoon harbour is filled in, as well as the rectangular area at Cheung Sha Wan. Extensive reclamations are also possible at Gin Drinkers Bay and Tsun Wan. These combined reclamations on the Kowloon side of the harbour would give a very considerable increase of territory. Much less reclamation is possible on Hong Kong Island itself. Starting from the western end, there is a narrow strip at Kennedy Town, the bay from Yaumati Ferry to Murray Road (in front of Chater Road) and the more debatable strip along the front of Connaught Road. There is next the Naval Dock, Causeway Bay, and a narrow strip east of North Point. A small reclamation in Shaukiwan Bay has also been suggested, but requires further investigation,
Three new Typhoon shelters will be required by these coastal changes: they have been tentatively located (a) at the head of Kowloon Bay (in front of Kai Tak), (b) in front of Sham Shui Po. (c) in front of Causeway Bay (reclaimed). using Kellet Island.
New piers are proposed at Kowloon Docks (absorbing the old Coaling Camber) and on the east side of Kowloon Bay at Ngau Tau Kok, the rebuilding of the Connaught Road pers when is due on structural grounds, is debatable, not from the Harbour angle, but by reason of the congestion and mixed zoning in the area behind. It has been contended that much of the coastal trade could be located elsewhere: this requires further investigation. Up to Western Street the godowns, shops, hotels and tenements are completely mixed and almost indistinguishable in building. West of the Western Street the godown and commercial element predominates. Somewhere on this north coast a coal depot should be located.
THE TUNNEL
A Tunnel from the centre of Hong Kong to the tip of Kowloon is the biggest single town planning and engineering feature for consideration in connection with the development of the Colony. Various opinions have been expressed as to what it would serve, whether for example it would supersede to any great extent the transhipment of cargoes by lighters, facilitate decentralisation from overcrowded Hong Kong, open up a wider area for high class residential development, enable work people to get more easily or quickly to their jobs, or whether it would supersede the ferries and give access to open spaces, etc. The problem of engineering and of cost are also not yet solved.
From a general planning point of view the more intimate connection formed by a bridge or a tunnel must be considered of great advantage in a situation of this sort and with urban areas of the order of one million inhabitants separated by a stretch of water less than a mile wide.
The case of Liverpool and Birkenhead naturally comes to mind, although there is a greater volume of shipping and more through traffic there; but it will be remembered that Liverpool after having for many years a railway tunnel (subsequently electrified), more recently added a road tunnel and has continued with the ferries and docking facilities,
The engineering problems require to be further investigated and the cost brought into relation to the economic position of the Colony: but sooner or later the Tunnel must be con- structed.
The following are some of the planning considerations. There must be facilities for pedestrians as well as motor cars There (these are not provided in the Liverpool Tunnel). should also be electric trains, either on a narrow gauge, like the London Tubes, giving direct access to the general station at Kowloon in its new location; or, if the main line were electrified, it might be possible to run trains direct from the New Territories into Hong Kong, with great advantage for (a) farm and fishing produce, (b) for recreation from the crowded urban centres.
The exits will require most careful planning, with escalators as well as a sloping ramp for cars: this will form On the Kowloon side it the real gateway to Hong Kong. will be desirable to plan a triple entrance (a) for passengers at Tsim Sha Tsui (b) for the Kowloon Docks (c) for the underground connection to the new railway station at Yau Ma Ti.
an
The Tunnel will be something much more than underground traffic link. It will be a symbol of the unity of interests of the Colony: it is impossible to predict all the effects which it may have, but provided strong planning control both in use of land and in direction of traffic is exercised, it is difficult to see in what way it can be other than beneficial.
REMOVAL OF THE SERVICES
The most discussed proposal in the Colony is the removal of the Naval and Military quarters from the centre of Hong Kong: the removal from Kowloon, though less urgent, would follow on a new location being found for those located in Hong Kong. It was somewhat surprising to find that there was less difference of opinion between the Civil and Service views, than might have been expected. Naturally the Services were only prepared to move to quarters which would prove equally or more serviceable. It was agreed that these could
that be found and the only outstanding question was
jf finance: a balance sheet could not be prepared at this stage. There is no doubl that the value of the central Service land is very high, but not all of it could realise its full market value as a considerable amount would be required for public purposes. The cost of reinstatement of the Services on a new site would presumably be met, in part at least, from Imperial sources,
The removal of the Services from the block of land on either side of Queen's Road in the centre of Hong Kong is absolutely essential to the continued prosperity of the Colony. The central administration and business area would be almost doubled in size; and although some faint hopes were expressed that a tunnel might create a business extension in Kowloon, all planning experience is against such a possibility.
By a fortunate chance the Naval and Military Services in considering the possibility of an alternative location, had both hit upon the same neighbourhood: this would greatly help in the provision of necessary access, housing and ancillary works. There was, however, this important difference: the Naval removal would have to be a single operation, whereas the Military one could be done in stages. Both services welcomed the ampler space which a new site could provide.
The position selected is in the neighbourhood of Tai Tam Bay. Very tentative plans have been prepared, but sufficient to show that the area is suitable from the essential points of view.
Whereas the Naval exodus from the Hong Kong & Kowloon Dockyards would be complete, the Military authorities stated that headquarters on a reduced scale would be required at Victoria or Garden Road Barracks and at Gun Club Hill in Kowloon, as well as access to water at Wellington Barracks and Sham Shui Po. But Whitfield Barracks and the major area overlooking Queen's Road could be given up. The Naval Establishment on Stonecutters Island could also be abandoned if this scheme for removal went through.
The use to which these vacated lands could be put will be described in later sections. It has already been stated (in Section 3) that a "New Town" of about 30,000 would be required for the workers in the Naval Dockyard and Barracks: this could be located somewhere in the neighbourhood of the existing village of Stanley (whose present residential character would be completely changed). This new town should com- bine with the workers quarters a joint recreational area. properly separated for the personnel of the Navy and Army.
The Stanley Prison would have to be removed: but its new buildings could be put to some useful purpose. A similar agreement for a permanent Services aerodrome was not reached, The Kai Tak site is agreed to be a bad one and even worse was that selected sometime ago in the New Territories. If the Naval and Military arms go to Tai Tam Bay, the Kai Tak site would be useless for combined action,
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