XN000022-1980-05-15 — Page 4

THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1980

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BOTH THE VICTORIA BARRACKS PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY RECOMMENDED THE PRESERVATION OF THE BUILDING. THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROPOSED SUBSEQUENTLY THAT IT BE CONVERTED INTO A SPECIALISED MUSEUM FOR THE DISPLAY OF CHINESE WORKS OF ART.

+SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS, THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO CARRY OUT THE CONVERSION OF FLAGSTAFF HOUSE PROVIDED THAT IT IS USED AS A MUSEUM FOR A SPECIFIC COLLECTION,+ MR BARNES SAID.

THE CONSULTANTS HAVE AGREED WITH A PROPOSAL MADE ORIGINALLY BY THE VICTORIA BARRACKS PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT MURRAY HOUSE SHOULD BE RE-LOCATED IN VICTORIA BARRACKS, ON A SITE OCCUPIED AT PRESENT BY CAUSEWAY BAY INFANT SCHOOL.

IN ADDITION TO ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, MURRAY HOUSE, BUILT IN 1843, IS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING EXAMPLES OF EARLY COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN HONG KONG.

AT ITS PRESENT LOCATION AT THE BOTTOM OF GARDEN ROAD, THE BUILDING HAS BECOME ALMOST HIDDEN FROM PUBLIC VIEW BY THE QUEENSWAY FLYOVER AND ITS STRUCTURAL CONDITION IS DETERIORATING STEADILY DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF HEAVY TRAFFIC ON NEARBY ROADS.

MR BARNES SAID: THE BUILDING WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT WILL VACATE THE PREMISES IN SEPTEMBER AND THE LAND ON WHICH IT STANDS WILL BE SOLD FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT SHORTLY AFTERWARDS.

+THE_GOVERNMENT THEREFORE PLANS TO DISMANTLE AND STORE THE BUILDING FABRIC OF MURRAY HOUSE. BUT NO DECISION HAS BEEN TAKEN YET ON THE POSSIBLE RE-ERECTION OF THE BUILDING ON ANOTHER SITE.

+SO, CAUSEWAY BAY INFANT SCHOOL WILL BE RETAINED FOR THE TIME BEING, RATHER THAN DEMOLISHED AS SUGGESTED IN THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT.+

J

SEVERAL FACTORS WERE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN DECIDING WHICH BUILDINGS SHOULD BE DEMOLISHED SUCH AS THEIR STATE OF DISREPAIR INCOMPATIBILITY WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE BUILDINGS TO BE RETAINED, THE ABSENCE OF ESTABLISHED SUITABLE USES AND THEIR INTERFERENCE WITH OTHER MORE IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS FOR THE PARK.

BUILDINGS TO BE DEMOLISHED INCLUDE:

* HEADQUARTERS LAND FORCES AND ITS EXTENSION-

* ALEXANDER BLOCK=

* KITCHENER BLOCK-

* GORT BLOCK-

* COLVIN HOUSE-

* THE SCOUT HALL.

/IN DRAWING