50
Hong Kong Builder
PROGRESS IN
THE DEVELOPMENT
OF STANLEY PENINSULA
(Above Left)
Owner: Mr. Kwan
Architect: A. R. F. Raven
Contractors: Man On & Co.
(Above Right)
Owner: P. K. Wong, Esq.
Architects: Chau & Lee
Cont: Beaux Arts Eng. Co.
(Right)
Owner: Lo Wing Hau, Esq.
Architects: Chau & Lee
Cont: Wing Cheong Constr. Co.
reach Island Road which takes us clear around the western and southern sides of the Island of Hong Kong. At the present time most of the possible sites along this road are not open for development, for military reasons, and until we arrive at the Stanley Peninsula, no further domestic developments meet our eyes.
On Stanley Peninsula, however, there is much to be seen of interest. The writer has not visited this section for quite some time and the amazing development which has taken place there during the past year or so is a tribute to the foresight of Sir Robert Kotewall. In 1925, Sir Robert envisioned an estate development on this un- prepossessing, barren area, which with his enthusiasm and energy he proceeded to promote into a reality. He arranged the purchase of a good part of the Peninsula from the Stanley Police Station to Island Road, and pro- ceeded to allot sections of this area to interested pur-
chasers under condition as arranged with the Hong Kong Government.
Strikes, depressions, trade fluctuations, political crises, all intervened since then, but in spite of this, slow but definite progress had taken place towards the realization of Sir Robert Kotewall's garden city vision, and today although many vacant areas testify how effectively ad- verse conditions had discouraged the less adventurous of the original purchasers of these areas, that which has been accomplished has set its seal on the ultimate suc- cess of this locality as a residential area. Although it has taken fifteen years to reach its present stage, we feel sure that far less time than this will be required to com- plete it. The photographs taken at Stanley and illustrated on these pages are but a glimpse of the total area. The story of this development will certainly bear telling in greater details in some future issue.