TNAG-0978-FCO40-1197-Legislation-for-preservation-of-ancient-buildings-and-monume-1981 — Page 19

G.S. 84

For discussion

RESTRICTED

on 9th September 1980

Nkk 29411

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 16 SEP 1980

DESK OFFICER

WIDER

FOR(80) 205

REGISTRY

PA Action Takapy No

AW 161/9 MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance

(Chapter 53)

DECLARATION OF THE HONG KONG CLUB BUILDING AS A MONUMENT

322

PA

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to seek Members' advice whether the Hong Kong Club building should in principle be declared a monument under section 3(1) of the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (Chapter 53).

Background

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The Antiquities Advisory Board first considered the Hong Kong Club building in June 1977. The Board at that time agreed in principle that it should recommend that the Hong Kong Club building be declared

a monument, but decided that before formally making such a recommenda - tion, the Chairman of the Board should seek the views of the Chairman of the Club on such a declaration. At that time the Club was considering whether it should redevelop its existing premises. At an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting in November 1977, Club members decided that the Committee should not proceed with considering redevelopment but should investigate ways of preserving the Club building, and that any development proposals should take into account the Club's existing premises. When the results of these investigations were put to members of the Club in October 1978, they again rejected the Committee's recommendation to redevelop the existing premises.

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In the light of this decision, the Antiquities Advisory Board again considered the Hong Kong Club building in January 1979, and decided that since the Club had decided to retain and maintain its existing premises at its own expense, the Board should take no action to recommend that the building be declared a monument.

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Subsequently Club members agreed in December 1979 that in view of the steadily increasing costs of maintaining its existing premises, they should not be retained and that the site should be redeveloped and the Committee should be authorised to draw up redevelopment proposals.

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