HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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Mindful of the Council's concern for full utilization of sites over previous projects, the Department is exploring other possible options to improve upon site utilisation, also potentially involving the private sector. To this end, advice is being sought from the Architectural Services Department and the Buildings and Lands Department on the possibility of a private development on top of the UC facilities: to what extent this would affect the floor space available for UC on the lower floors, and whether the proposed UC facilities can still be properly accommodated.
Once the outcome of the Department's study is available, the Council will be advised, hopefully within the next month or so.
Whatever the outcome of the study, I can assure Mr. BERNACCHI that there is no doubt that a market will be built on this site, together with other UC facilities already identified and we will do our best to ensure that the study in hand will not result in any significant delay.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):--First, I am very pleased with the clarity of your answer. Second, was the under utilisation that you speak of the reason why it has been delayed already from 1993 to start to late 1995?
DR. THE HON. SAMUEL WONG PING-WAI (in English):--Mr. Chairman, the answer is no. The starting date of the project is 1993 as shown in earlier versions of the Capital Works Programme was only tentative. The programme has since been revised to a more realistic date as indicated in my main reply. There are no reasons why we should expect delay if the Council sees urgency in proceeding with this project. So the under utilisation of site is but a minor reason.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):--I am glad to hear that because the next question is: why in paragraphs 3 and 4, do you very much have regard to this under utilisation, surely, with Chai Wan being so full of high rise buildings, a low building will give much needed air to Chai Wan?
DR. THE HON. SAMUEL WONG PING-WAI (in English):--Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I agree with Mr. BERNACCHI on that score. On the other hand, we have always been criticised as not developing our site with a full utilisation rate e.g. full coverage and so on. In this case we do have time to wait. According to our own programme we are not going to start until late in 1994/1995, so we do have time to consider other options e.g. joint venture with private developer and also other government departments if they are interested or not. On the other hand, if such urgency and this Council approves, this could go on a bit quicker.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):--The final supplementary, or I hope it is, the final supplementary, what do you mean in paragraph 5 by the word 'hopefully'. Will it again be delayed, or will it possibly be delayed, because of the term under utilisation which you as well as myself agree is not a bad thing at all.
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