Press Releases
Year 2007
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15 Oct 2007
Yu Lok Lane/Centre Street project begins property acquisition
The Yu Lok Lane/Centre Street project of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) in Sai Ying Pun will take a major step forward when owners of some 80 property interests within the site boundary are offered purchase proposals today (Monday). Occupying an area of about 23,000 square feet, the site is presently occupied by 22 buildings mostly built in around 1950s. They are generally in a very poor condition and deemed to be beyond economic repair. Some of them do not even have toilet or basic sewage facility. The redevelopment will help improve the living conditions of about 80 households, comprising 270 residents, many of whom have long urged the URA to redevelop the area. In addition to a new residential development above ground level, the URA intends to turn the long- dilapidated area
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12 Oct 2007
URA Chairman's Press Statement
The Chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority, Mr. Barry Cheung, issues the following press statement today (Fri). "After 37 years of public service including the last six years with the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), Mr. Billy Lam Chung-lun, Managing Director of URA, has indicated his wish to take a long-postponed break, and spend more time with his family when his current contract with the URA expires at the end of this year. Much as this being a great loss to the Authority, the URA Board understands his wishes, and respects his decision. On behalf of all Members of the Board, I wish to express our most sincere appreciation for the many contributions that Mr. Lam has made, not just to the URA, but also to urban renewal as a whole over the past years. Mr. Lam joined the URA not long af
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12 Oct 2007
Press Statement by Mr Billy Lam
The Managing Director of the Urban Renewal Authority, Mr. Billy Lam, issues the following press statement today (Fri). "After 37 years of public service including the last six years with the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), I have decided that it is now the right time to take my long-awaited break and spend more time with my family. As such, I have informed the Chief Executive SAR, the Secretary for Development and the Chairman of URA that I would not be renewing my contract upon the expiry of the current one at the end of this year. It has been my great honour to serve URA over the past years, and be allowed to play a part in advancing urban renewal in Hong Kong. It has been both a challenging as well as a fulfilling experience which I will look back with pride and fondness in the years
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10 Oct 2007
Response by URA Chairman to the Policy Address
The Chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority, Mr Barry Cheung, makes the following remarks in response to the Policy Address of the SAR Chief Executive: "The URA welcomes and supports the policy directives and initiatives for urban revitalisation announced by the Chief Executive in his Policy Address today. These directives and initiatives will help the URA further its efforts to meet the aspirations of the community. The URA will proceed to put together action plans for implementation accordingly within this financial year." (END)
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2 Oct 2007
Commencement of Nga Tsin Wai Village Project
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Tuesday) announced the commencement of the Nga Tsin Wai Village project in Wong Tai Sin, by ways of an innovative preservation-cum-redevelopment approach. About 50 staff of the Authority today conducted an occupancy survey at the village to ascertain the number of households and their occupancy status for the purpose of compensation and rehousing. "The Salvation Army Urban Renewal Social Service Team together with our front-line staff will pay special attention to those households who may face personal or family problems during the redevelopment process and provide assistance to them wherever possible," a URA spokesman said. Occupying a site area of about 49,900 square feet, two-thirds of the village houses in the Nga Tsin Wai Village have be
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22 Sep 2007
Visit by URA volunteers to old districts
一年一度的中秋佳節即將來臨,由市區重建局職員及其家屬自發組成的探訪隊,今日(星期六)展開愛心探訪之旅,特地探望了居住在市建局兩個重建項目的長者及單親家庭等,提早與他們分享佳節的歡樂氣氛。 今午近30名市建局探訪隊成員攜同應節食品,探望了西營盤餘樂里/正街和士丹頓街/永利街兩個重建項目內約20戶家庭。 這兩個項目的居住環境十分破落,長者居民亦比較多。居民對於探訪隊員表達的愛心關懷及餽贈,莫不欣喜開懷,笑逐顏開,令家中頓時充滿節日的歡樂氣氛。 今次是市建局職員及其家屬連續第四年,自發在佳節探訪舊區居民。過去三年分別探訪了中西區、大角咀區和深水?區的居民。
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14 Sep 2007
Conservation Concept for Nga Tsin Wai Village
Available in Chinese version only.
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20 Aug 2007
URA Statement on Sai Yee Street Project
In response to media enquiry today (Monday) on progress of the Sai Yee Street project, Mongkok, a spokesman of the Urban Renewal Authority said: This development will affect 16 sports shops or about 25% of the sports shops in "Trainers Street" in Mongkok. According to a survey conducted by HKU in April 2006, of the number of units represented by the interviewed owners, there were 43% supporting redevelopment (mainly domestic residents) and 42% supporting rehabilitation (mainly shop operators and owners of single-owned buildings). The Legislative Council passed a motion in January 2007 calling for the retention of existing commercial districts and bazaars with local characters. The URA needs to take all these aspirations into account in project planning. In the past few months, we
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19 Jul 2007
URA commences Peel Street/Graham Street project
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Thursday) announced the commencement of the Peel Street/Graham Street redevelopment project, estimated at a total development cost of $3.8 billion, by conducting an occupancy survey. Measuring a total site area of about 57,240 square feet, the project is bounded by Peel Street, Graham Street, Gage Street, Wellington Street, Cochrane Street, Gutzlaff Street, Staveley Street and Kin Sau Lane in the Central and Western district. Some 360 property interests in 37 old buildings are expected to be affected. Four of the blocks were built pre-war, while the remainder were built mostly in the mid-50's and early 60's. Speaking at today's media briefing to announce details of the occupancy survey, District Development Director of the URA, Mr Joseph L
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11 May 2007
Design model for future Kwun Tong now on display
A design model depicting the future Kwun Tong Town Centre is now on display at the Kwun Tong Office of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) for public inspection. "Occupying a site area of 5.35 hectares, the project has a total of 24 buildings which are over 40 years old. Over the years, residents within the project site have repeatedly called for early redevelopment so as to improve their living environment," a spokesman for the Authority said. The URA has come up with a final design proposal for the project after consolidating and assimilating views of the residents as well as other stakeholders and indeed the community at large in four rounds of bottom-up public consultation exercise over the past two years. "Development scheme plans based on the design proposal have been submitted