XN000022-1995-12-07 — Page 6

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Although it is the Board's policy not to impose declaration on private properties and religious buildings in use without the consent of the owners, the Board nevertheless reiterated its concern that the building should be preserved and urged the AMO to continue to monitor the case closely in liaison with relevant government departments. The AMO undertook to do so.

Members also spent some time discussing the further development of the old mental hospital in High Street, Sai Ying Pun. The meeting was told that there were plans to redevelop the site into a new District Community Centre with various welfare facilities.

The masonry facade of the hospital would be preserved in its existing form and incorporated into the centre to form a veranda on each floor which could provide a quiet sitting-out area for users of the centre's facilities and local residents.

Members strongly supported preserving the historical facade on the one hand and understood the need to provide essential community facilities in Western District on the other.

The Antiquities Advisory Board, under the chairmanship of Mr David Lung, is responsible for advising on any matters relating to antiquities, proposed monuments or monuments referred to it under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance by the Antiquities Authority, who is the Secretary for Recreation and Culture,

Enquiries about Hong Kong's heritage and the work of the Antiquities Advisory Board and the Antiquities and Monuments Office should be channelled to the Antiquities and Monuments Office at 136 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon,

End