HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and Gentlemen, the meeting is called to order. I am sure you would like me on your behalf to console our Secretary, Roy Spencer on the sudden death of his father last Wednesday. On your behalf, I sent a letter of condolence. Before taking the first item on the agenda, I would like to report the Excellency of the Governor visited the Urban Council yesterday afternoon and met all the Councillors. At the meeting, the Governor was briefed generally on Council's work to which he listened with great interest. On behalf of the Council, I headed that meeting to ensure the Governor that the Council will continue to work hard in the interest of the community under his leadership and today the Governor has written to thank us for an instructive and efficient briefing.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 14 April 1987, were confirmed.
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:—
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of April 1987.
QUESTIONS
1. THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in Cantonese): Recently, it was reported in a lengthy feature in a local newspaper that stall operators in some of the older market complexes were not doing good business because of the inadequate design of markets. May I ask what plans the Council has to improve the design of these older markets or redevelop them into new and viable ones?
MR. LEE CHIK-YUET, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-The question asks what plans the Council has to improve the design of the older markets or develop them into new and viable ones.
Indeed, some of the older markets have design defects such as slippery floors, poor ventilation and too many stalls which are too small and located too close together.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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The viability of markets has been a subject of study by the Working Party to Review Hawker and Related Policies. The draft report of the Working Party which is being finalized contains a number of recommendations to improve the design of future markets. These include:—
(a) limiting the number of market floors to be built to two only;
(b) an increase in the size of stalls, particularly that of the small vegetable stalls;
(c) the adoption of a standard clear headroom of 4.8 m;
(d) the introduction of a new MEAT (Market Economic Air Treatment) system to provide better ventilation;
(e) an increase in the number as well as the width of entrances;
(f) the provision of communal lighting of higher intensity; and
(g) the use of non-slip floor tiles.
In respect of existing non-viable markets, the draft report proposes that consideration be given to combining smaller stalls to form larger stalls and to converting the second floor with a great number of vacant stalls to other uses. And the Council would even consider to demolish or redevelop non-viable markets if necessary.
It is recognized that the key to a viable market is that it should be centrally located and that it is designed to cater for the needs of the population of its catchment area. Market planning should therefore be guided by surveys on the supply and demand of market facilities in the area, taking into account where appropriate facilities provided by the private sector such as fresh provision shops and supermarkets, and the economic characteristics of the clientele to be served. And as a pilot scheme, surveys will be undertaken in the next 3-4 months in three districts: Wan Chai, Central and Western and Sham Shui Po. Planning of new markets, as well as redevelopment and improvement works in respect of the older markets in these districts, will be put in hand once survey results are available.
THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, Mr. LEE said that surveys would be undertaken in the next 3–4 months in Wan Chai, Central and Western and Sham Shui Po. May I ask how long will the surveys last roughly?
MR. LEE CHIK-YUET (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, the surveys will be completed in 3-4 months. The Markets and Street Traders Select Committee will be receiving the survey results probably in August. I understand that questionnaires are being designed by the research firm. So work is in hand.
(Mr. CHAN Kwok-ming arrived at 2.35 p.m.)
MR. STEPHEN M. L. LAU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, we used to have hawkers prohibited areas in certain streets in the vicinity of the markets. But
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