resettlement and compensation.115
On 16 January 1987, the special committee was established to deal with prob-
lems related to the clearance. There were seven non-official and four official
members. The chairperson was Housing Authority member and Legislative
Council member Hu Fa-kuang.116 The four official members included Deputy
Secretary for the City and New Territories Administration Lui Hau-tuen,
Registrar General Noel Martin Gleeson, Director of Buildings and Lands Chau
Cham-son, and Deputy Director of the Housing Department Ian Strachan.
Unofficial members included Housing Authority member Leung Wai-tung;
Urban Councillor, Kowloon City District Council member and Housing
Authority member Pao Ping-wing; Kowloon City District Council member
Tang Tai-chuen; Chartered Surveyor Kan Fook-yee; Urban Councillor and
Kowloon City District Council member Peter Chan Chi-kwan; and Vice-
Chairperson of Kowloon Walled City Kaifong Welfare Promotion Committee
Chan Hip-ping.117
On 20 January 1987, the special committee held its first meeting and was
immediately confronted with a rather complicated problem – the validity of
leases in the Walled City.118 Generally, leases in the Walled City would be vali-
dated if a third person testified so; however, the Hong Kong government was
112
Zong Daoyi et al., eds, Zhou Nan koushu: yaoxiang dangnian yushan guanjin (Oral History of Zhou
Nan), Jinan, Qi Lu shushe, 2007, p.290.
113
David Akers-Jones, Shidiantou: Zhong Yijie huiyilu (Feeling the Stones: Reminiscences of David Akers-
Jones), translated by Tao Jie, Hong Kong, Hong Kong University Press, 2004, p.206.
114
Ta Kung Pao, 15 January 1987, p.1.
115
Wah Kiu Yat Po, 15 January 1987, p.1.
116
Ta Kung Pao, 16 January 1987, p.4.
117
Ta Kung Pao, 16 January 1987, p.4.
118
Ta Kung Pao, 21 January 1987, p.4.
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250 · MAKING HONG KONG
not familiar with the principles of deeds in the Walled City and was worried
that there might be forgery. Vice-Chairperson of Kowloon Walled City Kaifong
Welfare Promotion Committee Chan Hip-ping explained that leases in the
Walled City, usually called ‘certificates’, were documents issued by the construc-
tors of the buildings. Such ‘certificates’ often belonged to first-hand owners of
the properties. If the flats changed hands or were modified, the leases would
be more complicated. Generally, in resales, both old and new contracts would be
kept by the new owners. It would be highly likely that the new owner would have
several leases for the same flat if it had been resold several times.
Assistant Director of Housing Chan Tak-ping stated that clearance of the
Walled City and related follow-up works would be completed in three years,
during which 14 public housing estates and Home Ownership Scheme estates
would be completed and become available for resettling residents affected by the
clearance.119 Housing Authority member Leung Wai-tung said there were more
than 40,000 residents in the area according to preliminary estimations. If they
resettled across a span of three years, over 10,000 people and around 3,000 house-
holds would need to resettle each year.120 In the following three years, 140,000
flats would be completed (including temporary housing, public housing and HOS
flats), among which 20,000 were located in Kowloon District, including the areas
of Tung Tau Estate, Lei Cheng Uk, Chuk Yuen, Wang Tau Hom, Lower Wong Tai
Sin, Lok Fu and Kwun Tong. These flats could accommodate eligible residents.121
It was expected that the first batch of residents would move out of the Walled City
from late 1987 to early 1988. On 23 May 1987, Governor David Wilson men-
tioned that the population of the Walled City was around 33,000, which was 8 per
cent of the entire Kowloon City District.122 (See Table 5.13.)
In February 1987, the government announced that a park would be
Table 5.13 Number of registered residents on the eve of clearance of Kowloon Walled
City (1987)
Initial registered Registered
population statistics population statistics
(on 15 January 1987) (on 20 January 1987)
Registered residential units 8,788 units 8,880 units
Registered households 5,116 households 9,188 households
Registered persons 19,606 persons 32,319 persons
No one to answer the door/uninhabited units 3,650 units 430 units
Households refused to register 22 households 10 households
Investigated commercial units 760 units 846 units
Commercial units (no one to answer the door) 56 units 6 units
Sources: Wah Kiu Yat Po, 15 January 1987, p.1, 20 January 1987, p.9.
119
Wah Kiu Yat Po, 15 January 1987, p.1.
120
Wah Kiu Yat Po, 15 January 1987, p.1.
121
Wah Kiu Yat Po, 16 January 1987, p.9.
122
Wah Kiu Yat Po, 23 May 1987, p.5.
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Approaching the handover (1979–1997) · 251
constructed after clearance of the Walled City. The Working Group on Image
Promotion under Kowloon City District Council proposed building a museum
within the park and planned to develop Kowloon Walled City Park as a tourist
area.123 Iconic structures in the district included Sung Wong Toi Garden and
Carpenter Road Park. As economic resources of the district council were
limited, the construction cost was limited to 250,000 dollars.
In 2002, the government compiled data for every phase of the clearance and
announced that as many as 10,668 households and 31,408 people were affected.
Among them, 28,198 people received resettlement, which was 90 per cent of the
people affected; 9,420 households received resettlement, and the compensa-
tion amounted to 3.1 billion Hong Kong dollars in the end. (See Tables 5.14
and 5.15.)
Table 5.14 Cost of the clearance of Kowloon Walled City
(HK$) (%)
Compensation for property owners and tenants 2.68 billion 96.97
Settlement of vacant land after residents had moved out 20.75 million 0.75
Security 3 million 0.11
Demolition works 60 million 2.17
Total costs 2.76375 billion 100
Source: Lu Jin, Jiulongchengzhai shihua 《九龍城寨史話》 (Historical Report of Kowloon Walled City), Hong Kong, Joint
Publishing (HK) Co., 1988, p.185.
Table 5.15 Statistics of property owners and tenants affected by the clearance of the
Kowloon Walled City
Property owners Tenants No. of persons
rehoused
Phase 1 1,297 families/ 1,451 families/ 2,621 families/
Nov 1987 4,426 persons 3,473 persons 7,624 persons
Phase 2 1,620 families/ 1,737 families/ 2,212 families/
Dec 1988 5,777 persons 4,308 persons 6,765 persons
Phase 3 2,007 families/ 2,556 families/ 2,316 families/
July 1992 7,228 persons 6,196 persons 6,994 persons
Phase 4 4,924 families/ 5,744 families/ 2,271 families/
rehousing 17,431 persons 13,977 persons 6,815 persons
Total 10,668 households and 31,408 persons were affected 9,420 families/
28,198 persons
Sources: Hong Kong Housing Authority, Report on the Work of the Special Committee on Clearance of Kowloon Walled City,
Paper No. HA13/2002, 2002; Lu Jin, Jiulongchengzhai shihua 《九龍城寨史話》 (Historical Report of Kowloon Walled City),
Hong Kong, Joint Publishing (HK) Co., 1988, p.186.
123
Wah Kiu Yat Po, 5 February 1987, p.21.
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252 · MAKING HONG KONG
In 1811, the Qing government constructed Kowloon Walled City to defend
against pirates. China and Britain signed the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, the
Convention of Peking in 1860 and the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong
Territory in 1898, none of which changed the extraterritoriality of the Walled
City for the colonial government. In the 1920s, the Hong Kong government
conducted comprehensive planning for New Kowloon before the war; in the
1950s, it attempted to include the Walled City as part of its administrative area
when land near Kowloon City was actively developed for public housing. The
attempt failed to achieve true governance. Escaping from the chaos of wars and
political struggles between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China,
refugees hid in the Walled City, while people of dubious background also lived
there. From a population of 744 in 1899 to 33,000 in 1987, the Walled City
had a story that was a reflection of Hong Kong’s intricate history in this period.
People living within the Walled City were deemed illegal by those outside;
however, Hong Kong people living outside the Walled City did not realise they
were also living under the shadow of unequal treaties that were also deemed
illegal. The government seemed to have eliminated the law-and-order problems
of the Walled City when it demolished its walls but failed to see that the prob-
lems were only moved out of the Walled City instead of being solved com-
pletely. From the perspective of urban planning, the government might seem to
have included Kowloon Walled City in its scope of planning; nevertheless, more
thorough thinking shows that the Walled City did not fit in the development of
the neighbouring areas. It only became a park so that it would not trigger dis-
putes between China and Britain. Has the government ever conducted genuine
planning on this piece of land?
Rose Garden Project
Financing issues and political disputes
Sino-British relations were good in 1986. Apart from solving the problems
of Kowloon Walled City, in November of the same year, three of the largest
consortiums, Hopewell, Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa, submitted
Western Harbour – Strategic Proposal for Lantau Island Development to the Hong
Kong government. They planned to fund 25 billion Hong Kong dollars through
private institutions to relaunch the new airport scheme. The new airport scheme
proposed by the consortiums included reclamation works and construction of
a new two-runway airport, cross-harbour bridges, tunnels, and terminals for
ocean-going vessels. The three proposed sites for the new airport included Chek
Lap Kok, proposed by the government, and two sites off the eastern coast of
Lantau Island: one was closer to Green Island, with an orientation identical to
that of Kai Tak Airport, and the other was closer to Lamma Island, with an orien-
tation identical to that of Chek Lap Kok. It was estimated that 811 acres (328.5
hectares) of new land could be obtained through reclamation, including Green
Island reclaimed area (235 acres (95.2 hectares)), an artificial island (150 acres
(60.8 hectares)), and Lantau Island and Ma Wan reclaimed area (426 acres
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Approaching the handover (1979–1997) · 253
(172.5 hectares)).124 In January 1987, the Hong Kong government established
a steering committee led by the Chief Secretary to actively explore the Western
Harbour – Strategic Proposal for Lantau Island Development. Members of the
steering committee included the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Lands
and Works, the Secretary for Economic Services, the Secretary for Transport,
the Deputy Financial Secretary and political consultants.125
In October 1987, Governor David Wilson stated in the Policy Address:
It is critically important for Hong Kong to have a first class international airport. Kai
Tak has served us well over the years. But it has limited potential for expansion and
must eventually reach its ultimate capacity. Even before that point is reached we
must take account of the environmental impact on Kowloon of an airport at Kai Tak
developed to full capacity. In looking at possible alternative sites, it is clear that the
best sites for a new airport are in the west of the Territory, where new roads and other
infrastructure can be built to serve both port and airport developments, as well as,
possibly, to provide a new western harbour crossing. We are now commissioning a
joint Port and Airport Development Study to advise on the best and most economic
solution to these two critical problems. . ..Clearly the resources required for these
developments will be very large. At the same time we shall have to meet continuing
demands on public funds for housing and urban renewal and for other substantial
projects, such as new hospitals. It may be necessary to seek more private involvement
than previously in developing suitable parts of our economic infrastructure.126
From 1988 to 1989, the government conducted exploration works on seven
locations in the channel between eastern and south-eastern Lantau Island and
western Lamma Island in the search for an ideal location for the new airport.127
On 18 October 1989, Governor David Wilson announced in the 1989–90
Policy Address that the new airport scheme was launched. The scheme was
launched after the 1989 June Fourth Incident, which led to people viewing the
Tiananmen Incident as a catalyser for the implementation of the new airport
scheme. The Policy Address did not mention Hong Kong people’s worries about
the political prospects, but much emphasis was put on the scheme’s economic
value throughout the address. The scheme was unprecedentedly large in scale
and the most comprehensive urban planning scheme in Hong Kong history; it
was also called the Rose Garden Project. Highlights of Governor David Wilson’s
1989–90 Policy Address included:
[Hong Kong] is not only home to about 6 million people but also an important
regional and international centre. In doing this [building up the physical
infrastructure], we will take account both of the requirements of Hong Kong itself
and of those areas of southern China with which we now have such close economic
124
Ta Kung Pao, 11 January 1987, p.4.
125
Hong Kong Hansard, Hong Kong Government, 6 May 1987, p.904.
126
Hong Kong Hansard, Hong Kong Government, 7 October 1987, p.16.
127
E.G. Pryor, Hong Kong’s Port and Airport Development Strategy: A Foundation for Growth, Hong Kong,
Government Printer, 1991, pp.36–37.
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254 · MAKING HONG KONG
links. . ..There is a clear case on economic grounds for building a new airport as
soon as possible. After an exhaustive study of the various options, the Government
has decided to build a new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok. It
will be a two-runway airport built to the most exacting modern standards and able
to operate 24 hours a day. When completed, it will be able to handle 80 million
passengers a year – over three times the maximum capacity of Kai Tak. Our aim
will be to open the first of the two runways by the early part of 1997. We have to
make sure that people can get to it easily and quickly. To do this we plan to build
a high-speed rail system and a six-lane highway which will join north Lantau to
Tsing Yi Island and go from there along the new West Kowloon Reclamation to
a Western Harbour Crossing and then to Hong Kong Island. We will also have to
provide all the facilities needed for servicing a new airport. This means building a
new town for at least 150,000 people, plus industrial and commercial facilities, in
the Tung Chung valley.
The port now handles 80 million tonnes of cargo a year, an increase of almost
90% in the past five years. Further substantial growth is expected. In planning for
the expansion of our port we have looked ahead to 2006. By that time we will need
to increase our container throughput by five times; additional land for lorry parking
and container storage; on-shore facilities to replace the unloading which is now
done in the harbour itself; space to cater for larger numbers of river trade vessels;
and space for the various industrial activities which a modern port requires. Our first
priority is to build Terminal 8. This will go on reclaimed land at Stonecutters Island.
Terminal 9 and its support facilities will be built on reclaimed land at the southeast
of Tsing Yi Island. We then plan to move the focus of the port westward. One area
for development will be north Lantau, making use of the road facilities being built
for the new airport. Another will be the coastal strip west of Tuen Mun. Two more
major developments will be the construction of a large breakwater between Lantau
and Lamma to increase the amount of sheltered anchorage in the western harbour;
and the dredging of a new shipping channel to the west of Lamma.
The cost will be some Hong Kong dollars 127 billion at current prices over the
period up to 2006. The Government believes that many of the individual projects
connected with the new airport and the expansion of the port will be commercially
viable. It may well be necessary to consider exceptional arrangements to ensure
that we have an adequate supply of labour so that they are completed on time
and without causing unacceptable inflationary pressures. Large new areas in the
western part of the territory, particularly Lantau Island, will be opened up for
industrial and commercial use. The port and airport developments also mean
that the West Kowloon Reclamation will need to be completed in the mid-1990s
to provide the necessary transport links to the urban area. This reclamation will
provide a major source of land in the urban area for commercial and residential
development. More badly needed land will be provided by the Central and
Wanchai reclamation, where sites will start to be available during 1993. Looking
further ahead, we have the possibility of reclaiming the channel between Green
Island and Hong Kong Island and the immense opportunities provided by the
removal of the airport from Kai Tak.128
128
Hong Kong Hansard, Hong Kong Government, 11 October 1989, pp.24–26.
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Approaching the handover (1979–1997) · 255
Upon its announcement, the scheme was supported by many Legislative
Council members and the general public. Supporters believed the scheme
showed the government’s willingness to take on responsibilities for Hong
Kong’s future and could boost the confidence of the Hong Kong people.129
There were also some disputes regarding the new airport scheme among the
public. On the aspect of site selection, some believed Kai Tak Airport would
not saturate in the short term and thus should continue to be used; some found
Deep Bay or the western harbour more suitable for new airport construction;
the topography and wind direction of Chek Lap Kok were deemed by some as
unsuitable for airport construction; the most heated disputes were about finance
and politics.130
According to reports by the government in 1989, the construction cost of
the new airport and port works was estimated at around 127 billion Hong Kong
dollars. When including other basic facilities to be constructed as proposed in the
budget, the scheme would cost around 130 billion Hong Kong dollars, making
it the largest scheme ever in Hong Kong. Huang Lianghui and Xue Fengxuan
estimated that the actual cost would be 30 to 40 per cent higher than estimated,
while the construction cost would increase by 13 per cent each year as a result
of inflation. The actual cost would be as high as 400 billion Hong Kong dollars,
which was more than three times higher than the original estimation. Even the
most conservative estimation would see the cost at around 200 billion Hong
Kong dollars. The immense expenditure would lead Hong Kong to a financial
crisis.131 In 1990, the Hong Kong government had 71 billion Hong Kong dollars
of reserve fund, and the Special Administrative Region Development Fund
established in 1989 could allocate 14 billion Hong Kong dollars for the project.
It was estimated that the Hong Kong government’s accumulated surplus along
with interest and foreign exchange revenue would reach 100 billion Hong Kong
dollars in 1995. On 23 April 1991, Legislative Council members revealed the
government’s new financial arrangements for the new airport made in October
1990. If the government did not take out a loan, only around 5 billion Hong
Kong dollars of Hong Kong’s reserve would be left by 1997.132 If the HKSAR
government had to raise money in the financial market, the repayment period
would extend beyond the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. Repayment of the
loan would be shouldered by the sovereign, China, through the HKSAR gov-
ernment. The financial sector hoped that the Chinese government would make
its stance clear so that the investment risks could be minimised,133 believing
that the Chek Lap Kok new airport scheme should only be launched with the
consent of the Chinese government.
129
Hong Kong Hansard, Hong Kong Government, 1 November 1989, p.118.
130
Huang Lianghui and Xue Fengxuan, eds, Xianggang xin jichang de tiaozhan yu zhengyi (Challenges and
Disputes on Hong Kong’s New Airport), Hong Kong, Jing Gang xueshu jiaoliu zhongxin, 1990, p.44.
131
Huang Lianghui and Xue Fengxuan, eds, Xianggang xin jichang de tiaozhan yu zhengyi (Challenges and
Disputes on Hong Kong’s New Airport), Hong Kong, Jing Gang xueshu jiaoliu zhongxin, 1990, pp.45–76.
132
Wah Kiu Yat Po, 24 April 1991, p.1.
133
Huang Lianghui and Xue Fengxuan, eds, Xianggang xin jichang de tiaozhan yu zhengyi (Challenges
and Disputes on Hong Kong’s New Airport), Hong Kong, Jing Gang xueshu jiaoliu zhongxin, 1990, pp.12, 47.
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256 · MAKING HONG KONG
The Chinese government supported the new airport construction but was
worried that the financial burden would be too much. On 21 December 1989,
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Jiang Zemin pointed out
that the Hong Kong government should act according to its ability and should
not ‘invite the guests with others footing the bill’.134 On 10 December 1990,
Head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office Lu Ping stated:
The new airport scheme will continue beyond 1997. Of course most works were
said to be completed before 1997, but at least some of them will continue beyond
1997, especially in the financial aspect for which the HKSAR government has to
bear some responsibilities. We are forward-looking, not just considering matters of
1997 but beyond, hoping it would not be a burden to the people of Hong Kong.135
On 3 April 1991, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Macao Affairs Office Chen
Zuoer said:
it is hoped that the new Hong Kong airport can be completed as soon as
possible while sufficient reserve fund will remain in 1997. Therefore, under no
circumstances can we agree to the arrangements that some people are currently
making for the HKSAR government in 1997; a heavy burden will remain under a
lack of scrutiny.136
On 15 June 1991, Li Peng stated in a public speech that he believed construction
of a new airport was necessary to Hong Kong:
We hope the airport will require a small amount of investment on construction and
bring numerous benefits while not leaving any burdens for the Hong Kong SAR
government and residents in the days to come. Under this principle, we are willing to
continue negotiations with Britain to solve this problem in an appropriate manner.137
On 30 June 1991, China and Britain signed the Memorandum of Understanding
Concerning the Construction of the New Airport in Hong Kong and Related
Questions, planning to complete the ten projects of the Airport Core Programme
before the handover on 30 June 1997: the airport (the first runway and ancillary
facilities); West Kowloon Reclamation; certain reclamation works in Central and
Wan Chai related to the new airport; the North Lantau Expressway; the West
Kowloon Highway; the Western Harbour Crossing; Route 3 (certain sections);
the Airport Railway; the Lantau Link connecting Tsing Yi and Lantau Island
(including the railway and Route 3 Interchange); and Phase I of Tung Chung
development.138 It was also agreed that the total amount of loan to be repaid
134
Ta Kung Pao, 22 December 1989, p.1.
135
Ta Kung Pao, 11 December 1990, p.12.
136
Ta Kung Pao, 10 April 1991, p.1.
137
Ta Kung Pao, 15 June 1991, p.2.
138
Hong Kong Government Information Services, Hong Kong 1992: A Review of 1991, Hong Kong,
Government Printer, 1992, p.188.
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Approaching the handover (1979–1997) · 257
after 30 June 1997 as a result of the new airport construction would not exceed 5
billion Hong Kong dollars. The Hong Kong government should borrow money
by itself and report to the Chinese government; loans of more than 5 billion
Hong Kong dollars in total should only be taken out after both sides had reached
a consensus. The Hong Kong government should leave behind at least 25 billion
Hong Kong dollars to the HKSAR government on 30 June 1997. The Hong
Kong government was willing to appoint a permanent Hong Kong person from
the Bank of China Group as an official member of the Board of the Airport
Authority.139 On 4 July 1991, the government announced that the expenditure of
the Airport Core Programme would be around 98.6 billion Hong Kong dollars,
of which 54 billion Hong Kong dollars would be governmental expenditure.140
The government would provide 17 billion Hong Kong dollars additionally, the
Airport Authority would be responsible for 16.5 billion Hong Kong dollars, and
around 11 billion Hong Kong dollars would come from private investments.141
On 13 September 1991, China and Britain established the Hong Kong Airport
Committee, of which both the chief Chinese and the chief British representative
of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group were chairpersons.
On 12 June 1992, the Hong Kong government estimated that the total cost of
the ten core projects for the new airport would rise to 175.3 billion Hong Kong
dollars, which was a huge increase from the 98.6 billion Hong Kong dollars des-
ignated in March 1991. On 16 June 1992, this prompted the Chinese govern-
ment to express its concern about the financial arrangements of the new airport,
worried that the future HKSAR government ‘might be in debt’; meanwhile, the
Hong Kong government unilaterally announced that MTR Corporation need
not pay dividends to the Hong Kong government for the time being. As the
future HKSAR government was entitled to a certain part of such dividends, the
Hong Kong government would have to discuss the matter with the Chinese
and British governments to seek a solution.142 The total investment cost of the
Airport Core Programme ultimately stood at 156.54 billion Hong Kong dollars.
Highlights of the Airport Core Programme
Various major projects launched during the 1990s significantly differed
from earlier projects, which concentrated on development of the urban
areas. Among major projects in the 1990s, works related to the Airport Core
Programme were costliest. The governmental Airport Development Steering
Committee was responsible for overall monitoring and guidance of the Airport
Core Programme. Its members included the Financial Secretary and heads of
139
E.G. Pryor, Hong Kong’s Port and Airport Development Strategy: A Foundation for Growth, Hong Kong,
Government Printer, 1991, pp.131–133.
140
E.G. Pryor, Hong Kong’s Port and Airport Development Strategy: A Foundation for Growth, Hong Kong,
Government Printer, 1991, p.75.
141
E.G. Pryor, Hong Kong’s Port and Airport Development Strategy: A Foundation for Growth, Hong Kong,
Government Printer, 1991, p.70.
142
Ta Kung Pao, 16 June 1992, p.1.
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258 · MAKING HONG KONG
departments involved in the development and implementation of the Airport
Core Programme, including the Secretary for the Treasury, the Secretary for
Economic Services, the Secretary for Works, the Secretary for Transport and
the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands.143 Established in 1990, the
Provisional Airport Authority was responsible for construction and operation of
the new airport. In 1995, the Authority was restructured and became an official
institution wholly owned by the government. MTR Corporation was respon-
sible for construction and operation of the Airport Railway; the franchise for
the Western Harbour Crossing was granted to a private institution, Western
Harbour Tunnel Company Limited.144
The New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office was an executive agency of
the Airport Development Steering Committee under the Works Bureau. It was
formed by engineering staff members of the government and staff members
of International Bechtel Incorporated. Its major duties included overall man-
agement of the entire Airport Core Programme, regular reports to the Airport
Development Steering Committee, and suggesting measures to tackle problems
when necessary.145
The Airport Core Programme Committee played an important role in the
implementation of the programme. The Secretary for Works was the chairper-
son of the committee, with other committee members including heads of various
works departments in the government (the Highways Department, the Territory
Development Department, the Civil Engineering Department, the Architectural
Services Department and the Water Supplies Department), the Director of
Lands, project directors of the Airport Authority and MTR Corporation, and
representatives from the New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office.146
The Chief Executive of HKSAR Tung Chee-hwa commented during the
opening of the new airport on 2 July 1998 that the new airport project, ‘which is
described as a project “beyond 1997”, is the largest investment item in history of
Hong Kong. . ..It took seven years to complete and cost about $155 billion.’147
According to figures released by the government in 1999, the Airport Core
Programme cost 155.3 billion Hong Kong dollars in total up to November
1997.148 The figure was amended to 156.54 billion Hong Kong dollars in 2005.
(See Table 5.16.)
In the Airport Core Programme, 1,669 hectares of land was developed, includ-
ing 67 hectares in Tung Chung New Town, 334 hectares in West Kowloon
and 20 hectares neighbouring the Central and Western District on Hong Kong
Island. The new airport was the largest in area, totalling 1,248 hectares. It was
143
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.14.
144
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.10.
145
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.14.
146
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.14.
147
Legislative Council of the HKSAR, Report of the Select Committee to Inquire into the Circumstances
Leading to the Problems Surrounding the Commencement of the Operation of the New Hong Kong International
Airport at Chek Lap Kok since 6 July 1998 and Related Issues, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, Chapter
1, p.10.
148
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.92.
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Table 5.16 Details of the Airport Core Programme projects
Project Year of Key programme Cost estimate Cost estimates Actual
construction in July 1991 in June 1992 expenditure
(HK$100 (HK$100 (HK$100
million) million) million)
Chek Lap Kok 1992−1998 The project consisted of a 1,248-hectare airport apron, a 3,800-metre-long runway, 436 685.0 702
Airport passenger terminal buildings and other supporting facilities.
Central– 1993−1998 The area of the Central Reclamation Phase 1 was required for the construction 18 28.3 27
Wan Chai of the Hong Kong terminus of the Airport Railway, with the remaining land used
Reclamation for roads, relocation of ferry piers, pumping stations and other facilities that were
affected by the reclamation.
West Kowloon 1990−2003 This provided 334 hectares of reclaimed land from Tsim Sha Tsui northward, 90 125.9 120
Reclamation including Yau Ma Tei, Cheung Sha Wan and Mei Foo.
Tung Chung 1992−1997 This provided 67 hectares of land for the supporting community of the new airport, 26 30.3 24.9
Development providing an industrial business park, private housing and public housing.
Phase 1
Lantau Link 1991−1997 A fixed dual three-lane road and two-track rail crossing linking Tsing Yi, Ma Wan 121 171.6 91.9
Island and Lantau, consisting of the Tsing Ma suspension bridge, a viaduct crossing
of Ma Wan Island, the Kap Shui Mun Bridge, approach roads and a toll plaza on
Lantau.
Route 3 (part) 1993−1998 The Route 3 Tsing Yi and Kwai Chung sections and the 1,177-metre-long Ting Kau 56 89.2 82.4
Bridge linking Tsing Yi Island and Kowloon.
North Lantau 1992−1997 A 12.5-kilometre-long expressway, connecting with the last section of the transport 43 81.0 63.6
Expressway network leading to the new airport, including Yam O, Tai Ho and Tung Chung
sections.
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Table 5.16 (continued)
Project Year of Key programme Cost estimate Cost estimates Actual
construction in July 1991 in June 1992 expenditure
(HK$100 (HK$100 (HK$100
million) million) million)
West Kowloon 1993−1997 A 4.2-kilometre-long, dual three-lane expressway, linking Western Harbour Crossing 17 33.8 26.6
Expressway and Route 3 from Kwai Chung, including the section from Kwai Chung Viaduct to
the Western Harbour Crossing toll plaza, including the interchanges at Yau Ma Tei
and Mei Foo.
Western 1993−1997 A 2-kilometre dual three-lane tunnel, crossing Victoria Harbour from a portal on the 39 65.0 57
Harbour West Kowloon Reclamation at Yau Ma Tei to the Western Reclamation at Sai Ying
Crossing Pun on Hong Kong Island, is the important section of Route 3.
Airport Railway 1994−1998 The railway covers 34 kilometres, 20 on ground level, 6 on elevated structures and 8 125 294.7 340
in tunnels, from Chek Lap Kok Airport to Central, with six new stations built.
Utilities Various works undertaken for the provision of utility services to the new 15 32.6 30
airport and the Tung Chung New Town, including water, electricity, gas and
telecommunications.
Total 986 1,637.3 1,565.4
Sources: E.G. Pryor, Hong Kong’s Port and Airport Development Strategy: A Foundation for Growth, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1991, pp.92–102; Hong Kong Airport Core Programme homepage: www.info.gov.hk/
archive/napco/index-c.html; Civil Engineering and Development Department website: http://www.cedd.gov.hk/tc/achievements/regional/regi_west_kowloon.html; Lands and Planning Division website: http://www.devb.gov.
hk/reclamation/tc/basic/plans_and_maps/project/; Zhou Bojun, Meigui yuan de gushi: Xianggang xin jichang wenti tantao (Essays on the Hong Kong New Airport), Hong Kong, Qingwen shuwu, 1993, pp.154–158; Jichan
hexin jihua (The Airport Core Programme), Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.92; William Kritzberg, Qing Yu ganxian (The Lantau Link), Hong Kong, Zheng fu zong bu gong wu ju xin ji chang gong cheng tong chou
shu, 1998, p.10; Ho Pui-yin, Ways to Urbanisation: Post-war Road Development in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong University Press, 2008; Details of road construction costs provided by the Highways Department in
late 2005.
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Approaching the handover (1979–1997) · 261
around 6 kilometres long and 3 kilometres wide, which was more than four
times larger than the old airport. Reaching 9 billion dollars, its works contract
was the second-largest in the Airport Core Programme and was successfully bid
for by a multinational associate. The works began in December 1992 and were
completed in January 1996, which was four months earlier than the scheduled
time.149 The areas of Chek Lap Kok Island and Lam Chau were 302 hectares
and 8 hectares respectively, forming 25 per cent of the airport platform, while
the remaining land was reclaimed.150 Construction of the airfield, first runway,
passenger terminal, air traffic control tower, air traffic control complex and other
important facilities commenced in 1995.151
When the new airport opened in July 1998, one of the two runways, each
3,800 metres long, entered into service. The new airport operates around the
clock, unlike Kai Tak Airport in the past, where night-time take-offs and land-
ings were restricted. In Phase I of the project, 38 terminal building frontal
parking stands suitable for all 747-400 aircraft, 27 apron parking stands and 13
cargo parking stands were constructed. Around 500 passenger and cargo flights
could be handled per day.152 After completion of the second runway in late 1998
and expansion works of the Northwest Concourse in the passenger terminal, the
number of flights that could be handled per hour increased from the initial 37
to 50, while terminal building frontal parking stands also increased to 48. After
completion of the second passenger terminal, the new airport was able to reach
the ultimate designed capacity, i.e. servicing 87 million passengers and handling
9 million tons of cargo per year.153
The passenger terminal resembled a ‘Y’ in shape and adopted a wing-like roof
inclining at 45 degrees. The design could insulate heat and save more electric-
ity than traditional roofs. The terminal was 1.2 kilometres long with an area of
550,000 square metres and eight storeys, three of which were open for public
use. There were departure and arrival halls, while facilities in the basement
included the automated people mover and the baggage handling system, along
with mechanical and electrical apparatuses. The project cost 10.1 billion dollars
and was the largest of all the contracts in the Airport Core Programme; it was
also the largest construction works contract in scale awarded in Hong Kong
history.154
Road works related to the Airport Core Programme from the 1980s to 1990s
with the largest investments were (in descending order):
1. the Lantau Link, construction commencing in 1991 and completed in
1997, with an investment of 11.86 billion Hong Kong dollars in total;
2. Route 3 (Kwai Chung to Ting Kau sections), construction commencing
149
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.28.
150
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.30.
151
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.30.
152
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.24.
153
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.24.
154
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.26.
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262 · MAKING HONG KONG
in 1993 and completed in 1998, with an investment of over 8.24 billion
Hong Kong dollars;155
3. the North Lantau Highway, constructed from 1992 to 1997, with an
investment of 6.36 billion Hong Kong dollars;
4. the West Kowloon Highway, constructed from 1992 to 1997, with an
investment of 2.66 billion Hong Kong dollars in total.
Total investment of the four road works reached 29.12 billion Hong Kong
dollars, accounting for 18.6 per cent of the Airport Core Programme’s total
expenditure of 156.5 billion Hong Kong dollars. The Airport Core Programme
covered a wide array of aspects: it shortened distances between districts, devel-
oped remote land in the west of the New Territories, and increased available
space in the city, while population distribution also gradually moved westward
towards the terminals just as the road network did; the New Territories was
transformed with a new look.
Westward shift of ports
Before the Airport Core Programme was launched, the West Kowloon
Reclamation was first proposed in the Study on Harbour Reclamation and Urban
Growth in 1983. In the report, it was believed that development of West Kowloon
could provide land for transport facilities in the Airport Core Project such as the
Airport Railway, highways and harbour crossing, while alleviating the crowded-
ness of residential and industrial/commercial areas in Kowloon Peninsula. More
leisure, cultural and social service facilities could be provided in West Kowloon,
in turn improving the living environment of the area, which was in line with the
overall development of the government’s Metroplan. In 1984, West Kowloon
Reclamation was approved by the Executive Council and officially included in
the development strategy. In 1994, land to be developed in West Kowloon also
included that of the Stonecutters Island reclamation project. Newly reclaimed
land would be used to construct governmental and social service facilities,
housing, commercial development buildings and roads connecting to the new
airport, such as the third harbour crossing, the West Kowloon Highway and
the Airport Railway. It was estimated that the West Kowloon reclamation area
would accommodate 159,000 residents.156
West Kowloon Reclamation was the most complicated among the ten pro-
jects in the Airport Core Programme and the largest reclamation project ever in
the urban area. The reclamation area extended northward from Tsim Sha Tsui,
including Yau Ma Tei, Cheung Sha Wan and Mei Foo. About 334 hectares of
new land was reclaimed in the entire project, and the area of Kowloon Peninsula
increased by a third. Among this, 120 hectares of land was used to construct
Data provided by the Highways Department at the end of 2005; the construction cost of Tsing Long
155
Highway and Tai Lam Tunnel is not included.
156
Hong Kong Government Information Services, Hong Kong 1995: A Review of 1994, Hong Kong,
Government Printer, 1995, p.252.
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Approaching the handover (1979–1997) · 263
Source: Mr Lo Yiu-ching’s collection.
Figure 5.2 West Kowloon reclamation area
the transport corridor connecting to the airport – the West Kowloon Highway,
the Airport Railway, two stations and land connecting to the Western Harbour
Crossing; around 43 hectares of land was designated for government and com-
munity services such as schools, clinics, social welfare facilities, indoor sports
grounds, police stations, magistracies and public parking lots; seven hectares
of land was used to construct the Stonecutters Island Government Dockyard;
59 hectares of land was open area; 33 hectares of land was allocated for indus-
trial and commercial use; 20 hectares of land was used to construct new housing;
31 hectares of land near railway stations was designated as integrated develop-
ment areas; and 21 hectares of land was used to construct Cheung Sha Wan
Wholesale Market.157 (See Figure 5.2.)
The reclaimed area was divided into the northern part and the southern part
by Cherry Street. The southern part involved four major work contracts, while the
northern part involved two. The southern reclaimed area included New Yau Ma
Media Relations Division, New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office, ACP Projects in West Kowloon,
157
Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1993, p.2.
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264 · MAKING HONG KONG
Tei Typhoon Shelter, the neighbouring old typhoon shelter, Yau Ma Tei Public
Cargo Working Area, Stonecutters Island Government Dockyard and New
Jordan Road Ferry Pier. The northern reclaimed area included five cargo handling
terminals, Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Market with 700 lorry parking spaces, the
road network connecting to the market, Cheung Sha Wan Shipbuilders, China
Resources Warehouse Cargo Handling Area, and transportation works connect-
ing to the airport (the West Kowloon Highway, the Western Harbour Crossing,
the Airport Railway, and Route 3, which connected Hong Kong Island, Kowloon
and north-west New Territories). The Civil Engineering Department planned
and monitored the reclamation works of the southern part, while the Territory
Development Department was responsible for the northern part, with Mott
MacDonald Hong Kong Ltd as consultant. Detailed planning of the southern
reclaimed area was carried out in early 1990, and that of the northern reclaimed
area was also launched in the second quarter of the same year.158
Reclamation was divided into three phases. With an area of 68 hectares, New
Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter was the earliest project, commencing in August
1990 and completed in 1992. Phase II of the project was carried out from late
1992 to 1995, while 13 hectares of land at the southern end of West Kowloon
was reclaimed during the last phase of the project starting in 1999.159 There
were seven major works, including construction of 8.5-kilometre-long seawalls
and breakwaters, 17 kilometres of roads, reconstruction of all affected coastal
facilities, drain pipes, seawater chambers and pumping facilities. In the whole
reclamation project, 34 million cubic metres of mud was dredged from the
seabed, 69 million cubic metres of fill was used, and the coastline was extended
by 1 kilometre. The government invested 12 billion Hong Kong dollars in total,
which was 3 billion dollars more than the 1993 budget of 9 billion dollars.
West Kowloon Reclamation was a more arduous task than the magnificent
Tsing Ma Bridge and reclamation works in Chek Lap Kok. In the project, not
only did existing passenger and cargo terminals have to be moved to the new
coast along with the warehouses, but also operation of the old Yau Ma Tei
Typhoon Shelter had to be maintained. As the existing sewerage system in the
old area of West Kowloon was mostly at or even lower than sea level, the gov-
ernment had to reconnect the drainage pipes to tie in with the reclamation,
which added to the project’s difficulty. Traffic congestion and municipal issues
triggered during the works also drew criticism from citizens. In addition, the
government had to monitor contractors to ensure they complied with environ-
mental protection legislation, while controlling the negative impacts of noise
and dust pollution in the project. To accelerate the project, the government
allowed as many as three dredging and reclamation contracts along with two
highway contracts to operate in parallel at a certain point. In the end, the project
was completed in late 2003 as scheduled.160
158
E.G. Pryor, Hong Kong’s Port and Airport Development Strategy: A Foundation for Growth, Hong Kong,
Government Printer, 1991, p.73.
159
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.44.
160
Hong Kong Yearbook 2002, Hong Kong, Information Services Department, 2002, p.169.
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Approaching the handover (1979–1997) · 265
The West Kowloon Highway
The West Kowloon Highway was constructed on the newly reclaimed land in
West Kowloon. It was a 4.2-kilometre-long dual three-lane highway connecting
the Western Harbour Crossing and remaining sections of Route 3 from Kwai
Chung. It was constructed from 1993 to 1997, with a total investment of 2.66
billion dollars.161 Major parts of the project included roads connecting Kwai
Chung Viaduct and the toll plaza of Western Harbour Crossing, along with
interchanges in Yau Ma Tei and Mei Foo.
The Western Harbour Crossing
The Western Harbour Crossing was the only project operated under franchise.
In September 1993, the Hong Kong government and Western Harbour Tunnel
Company Limited signed a 30-year franchise agreement to develop the Western
Harbour Crossing with the ‘build–own–transfer (BOT)’ model. Works com-
menced in August 1993, and the crossing began service in April 1997, which
was earlier than the scheduled date of completion.162 Three major items were
included in the contract: immersed tube works, approach works conducted in
West Kowloon, and approach and related works conducted in Sai Ying Pun.163
The immersed tube of the Western Harbour Crossing extended south-west-
ward from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island and was 1.3 kilometres long. The
entire immersed tube was formed by 12 sections of pre-made concrete com-
ponents, each of which was 113.5 metres long, 33.4 metres wide, 8.5 metres
tall and around 35,000 tons in weight.164 The first component started to be
immersed in the designated position in March 1995, and the entire process
took around 716 hours. Installation of the last component was completed in
April 1996.165
The Western Harbour Crossing opened on 30 April 1997 and was the first
twin-tube dual three-lane harbour crossing in Hong Kong. The tunnel con-
nected the southern tip of West Kowloon reclaimed area and Sai Ying Pun on
Hong Kong Island. In addition, the Western Harbour Crossing was an impor-
tant part of Route 3.166 Maximum daily capacity of the six-lane road tunnel was
180,000 vehicles, which was higher than for the pre-existing four-lane road
tunnels.167
161
Data provided by the Highways Department at the end of 2005.
162
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.86.
163
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.86.
164
Hong Kong Airport Core Programme website, http://www.info.gov.hk/archive/napco/c_p-harcross.
html.
165
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.88.
166
The Airport Core Programme, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1999, p.86.
167
Hong Kong Airport Core Programme website, http://www.info.gov.hk/archive/napco/c_p-harcross.
html.
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266 · MAKING HONG KONG
Planning for the new era
Highlights of Metroplan planning
In the mid-1980s, the development of the new airport had to be reviewed, while
the planning of the city core districts had to be adjusted at the same time in
response to the westward shift of terminals. The government took the oppor-
tunity to improve the structure of the city, allowing it to gradually transform to
a key port, an air cargo terminal, a commercial and trade centre in China and a
high-tech base for light industry.168 The government announced the Territorial
Development Strategy in 1984, providing a summary on the basic domains. The
main idea had shifted from the focus on new town development in the past to
an emphasis on the development plan on both sides of the harbour, which indi-
cated that the focus of planning in the 1990s would return to ‘metropolis’ from
‘new town’. The ‘Metroplan’ planning strategy stated in the 1980s Territorial
Development Strategy and the Harbour and Airport Development Strategy would
be carried out simultaneously, while taking into account the expansion of the old
Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport before the completion of the new airport and the
planning of the Kai Tak area after airport relocation.169 The 20-year Metroplan
was divided into a number of independent integrated development plans, with a
view to fulfilling the plan by 2011.170 (See Figure 5.3.)
On 7 October 1987, Hong Kong Governor David Wilson promoted the
Metroplan vigorously in his Policy Address, pointing out that the government had
spent over half of its non-recurrent expenditure on the development of new towns
since the mid-1970s, while the investment scale in the early-developed urban
areas was severely undersized. Although both sides of the harbour were employ-
ment hubs, some districts were overcrowded, with a poor living environment and
a lack of basic recreational facilities. Improvement was absolutely necessary.
In the late 1980s, the government decided to draw out post-1990s new direc-
tions for the main urban areas and forms for the development of seven devel-
oped districts: Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing, West Kowloon, Central Kowloon,
East Kowloon, Hong Kong Island West, Hong Kong Island East and Hong
Kong Island South.171 The Lands and Works Branch was reorganised to form a
special team that would formulate a comprehensive outline and more detailed
district plan for the Metro Area, which would include the redevelopment of spe-
cific urban areas and their redevelopment plans.
In 1991, the Governor and the Executive Council endorsed the development
strategies of the Metroplan.172 In the same year, the Planning, Environment
168
Hong Kong Lands and Works Branch, Metroplan: The Aims, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1988,
p.23.
169
Hong Kong Lands and Works Branch, Metroplan: The Aims, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1988,
p.31.
170
Hong Kong Lands and Works Branch, Metroplan: Initial Options, Hong Kong, Government Printer,
1988, p.3.
171
Hong Kong Lands and Works Branch, Metroplan: The Aims, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1988, p.5.
172
Hong Kong Yearbook 1994, Hong Kong, Information Services Department, 1994, p.179.
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Source: Hong Kong Lands and Works Branch, Metroplan: The Selected Strategy: An Overview, Hong Kong, Government Printer, 1991, p.4.
Figure 5.3 Scope of the Metro Area
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268 · MAKING HONG KONG
and Lands Bureau published Metroplan: The Selected Strategies: An Overview to
outline focal points of urban development. The ‘metro areas’ included seven dis-
tricts, namely Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing, West Kowloon, Central Kowloon,
East Kowloon, Hong Kong Island West, Hong Kong Island East and Hong Kong
Island South. After deciding on the development strategies of the Metroplan,
a series of development statements were drafted to ascertain specific planning
objectives in each district. Between 1992 and 1997, the Planning Department
completed the development statements for four of these seven districts and
designed a set of administrative guidelines for guidance and control over the stat-
utory zoning and the handling of planning applications from the community.173
The development statements for these four districts were formed in chronologi-
cal order: Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing (1992), South-eastern Kowloon (1993),
West Kowloon (1993) and Island West (1997); in 1999, the development state-
ments of Central Kowloon and East Kowloon were completed,174 whereas the
research work for Island East and Island South had yet to start in 1999.
The development statements drafted between 1992 and 1997 were mainly
about the construction of the new airport and port facilities, such as the Tsuen
Wan and Kwai Tsing area, the old airport (Kai Tak) and new development
area in south-eastern Kowloon, the opening up of the West Kowloon reclama-
tion area, the reclamation project to connect Green Island to the neighbouring
Western District, and the redevelopment of the old Sheung Wan district; all
these projects were designed to coordinate with the planning of the Airport
Core Programme. The development of the old airport surrounding area in