222 Infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation
The URA adopts a holistic '4R' approach to the regeneration of old urban areas, involving redeveloping dilapidated buildings, rehabilitating old buildings, revitalising old districts, and preserving buildings with historical, cultural or architectural value within its project areas.
By the end of 2008, the URA and its strategic partner, the Hong Kong Housing Society, had commenced 35 redevelopment projects and four preservation projects, including the Kwun Tong Town Centre redevelopment project, which in terms of both site areas and number of property interests affected is the largest one the URA has handled. The year also marked a major step forward in the areas of revitalisation and preservation. Following consultation with the Wan Chai District Council (WCDC) in January 2008, an Old Wan Chai Revitalisation Initiatives Special Committee chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the WCDC was set up to map out a plan for revitalising the area.
In September 2008, the URA commenced two projects to preserve 20 pre-war verandah-type shophouses at Shanghai Street and Prince Edward Road West for adaptive re-use. The URA also continued to assist owners to rehabilitate their buildings by providing them with materials, interest-free loans, grants and other assistance.
Heritage Conservation
Heritage Conservation Policy and New Initiatives
Heritage conservation was accorded
was accorded priority under the Chief Executive's announcement in his 2007-08 Policy Address that the bureau would press ahead with heritage work over the next five years. Since the announcement of the new heritage conservation policy and a package of initiatives to promote heritage conservation in October 2007, the Development Bureau has made good progress on various fronts.
In the Government domain:
(a) The bureau has implemented the Heritage Impact Assessment mechanism since January 2008 for all new capital works projects to ensure that impact on heritage sites will be avoided or minimised and mitigation measures will be devised if impact is unavoidable;
(b) The bureau launched the first batch of the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme (the Revitalisation Scheme) to invite non-profit- making organisations to put selected historic buildings to adaptive re-use;
(c) A review was completed on the relationship between the monument declaration system under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (the Ordinance) and the administrative grading system of the Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB);
(d) The comprehensive grading of some 1 440 historic buildings is about to be completed and the bureau will consult the AAB on the results of the review;