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STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR HUM, VISITING, FROM HKD CONSULATE-GENERAL IN HONG
KONG
1.
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO OED ABOUT THE TWO BUILDINGS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE PUT FORWARD AS POSSIBLE CONSULATE-GENERAL SITES (BEACONSFIELD HOUSE AND THE NEW RODNEY BUILDING)
2.
MIKE PUGSLEY, ONE OF THEIR ARCHITECTS, RECENTLY HAD A BRIEF LOOK AT BOTH. IN HIS VIEW BOTH SITES WOULD NEED EXTENSIVE REDEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO PRODUCE A SUITABLE CONSULATE-GENERAL: NEITHER IS PRESENTLY SUITABLE ALTHOUGH BOTH SITES COULD, IN PRINCIPLE, BE OF INTEREST TO US.
3.
REDEVELOPMENT TO HOUSE ONLY THE CONSULATE-GENERAL WOULD PROBABLY ENTAIL LEAVING THE POTENTIAL OF THE SITES UNDEREXPLOITED. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MIGHT BE LOATHE TO SEE SUCH SITES UNDERDEVELOPED. HOWEVER, REDEVELOPMENT TO FULL POTENTIAL WOULD BE TOO BIG AN UNDERTAKING FOR HMG ALONE AND IF IT WAS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S WISH THAT THE SITES SHOULD BE FULLY DEVELOPED THEN WE WOULD ONLY CONSIDER TAKING THEM ON A JOINT BASIS WITH A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPER OR DEVELOPERS. IT WOULD THEREFORE BE MOST HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT VIEW, IF ANY, THEY HAVE ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY FEEL THE TWO BUILDINGS OUGHT TO BE
REDEVELOPED.
4.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE BASIS AND TERMS ON WHICH THE SITES WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO US, FOR DETAILED CONSIDERATION BY OED. ANY PRICE QUOTED IS LIKELY TO REFLECT THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY WANT TO SEE THE SITES' POTENTIAL DEVELOPED.
5.
OED WOULD ALSO NEED TO KNOW IN DUE COURSE OF ANY PLANNING
PROPOSALS WHICH MIGHT AFFECT THE REDEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF EITHER SITE. WE BELIEVE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT A NEW UNDERGROUND CAR PARK IS PLANNED FOR CONSTRUCTION UNDER THE NEW RODNEY BUILDING, ALTHOUGH WE IMAGINE THIS WOULD NOT POSE A SERIOUS OBSTACLE TO
REDEVELOPMENT.
6.
WE HOPE THE ABOVE GIVES YOU ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO TAKE
THINGS FORWARD A LITTLE WHEN YOU ARE IN HONG KONG NEXT WEEK.
HOWE
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