Our Harbour Matters Vincent Ng, HKIA, HKIUD Director, AGC Design Limited Vice President (Local Policies), Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design Chairman, Kai Tak Taskforce and Member of Harbourfront Commission Member, Harbourfront Enhancement Committee 2004-2010 Society of Protection of the Harbour 15 th Anniversary Commemorative Forum THE FUTURE OF VICTORIA HARBOUR 20 November 2010
Victoria Harbour Hong Kong Tsing Yi Western Harbour West Kowloon Kowloon Kowloon Central Kowloon East Island West Central, Wan Chai, Causeway bay Hong Kong Island Island East
Victoria Harbour Hong Kong
海港規劃理想 Victoria Harbour: Vision To enhance Victoria Harbour and its harbour-front areas to become an attractive, vibrant, accessible and sustainable world-class asset: A Harbour for People 港人之港 A Harbour of Life 活力之港
海港規劃使命 Victoria Harbour: Mission To realize the vision of Victoria Harbour through effective and balanced utilization of land and marine resources having regard to the Harbour Planning Principles and subject to an open and transparent public engagement process. 富吸引力 Attractive 朝氣蓬勃 Vibrant 可持續發展的世界級資產 Sustainable World-class Assets 交通暢達 Accessible
海港規劃原則 Harbour Planning Principles 原則 1 : 保存維多利亞港作為香港市民的天然 公眾和經濟資產 Principle 1: Preserving Victoria Harbour 原則 2 : 及早和持續地讓社會人士參與維港工作 Principle 2: Stakeholder Engagement 原則 3 : 可持續發展的海港 Principal 3: Sustainable Development 原則 4 : 世界級海港的綜合規劃 Principle 4: Integrated Planning 原則 5 : 維多利亞港作為香港的標誌 Principle 5: Proactive Harbour Enhancement 原則 6 : 朝氣蓬勃的海港 Principle 6: Vibrant Harbour 原則 7 : 交通暢達的海港 Principle 7: Accessible Harbour 原則 8 : 盡量增闢公眾可以享用的地方 Principle 8: Public Enjoyment
Harbour Planning Guidelines To elaborate in more detail the intentions and requirements of the Harbour Planning Principles (HPPs) a comprehensive checklist for use by relevant stakeholders (project proponents, public officers, advisory bodies, professional bodies, etc.) To guide the sustainable planning, preservation, development and management of the Victoria Harbour and its harbour-front areas.
Harbour Planning Guidelines Public Engagement Landuse Planning Urban Design Landscaping Physical Linkage Land Formation Harbourfront Management Sustainable Development Temporary Landuses
香港的海濱 Hong Kong s Harbour-front
Open Space Use vacant land for temporary public open space Focal feature in open space and public realm for identity Development site to set back for waterfront promenade
上環雨水抽水站 Sheung Wan Stormwater Pumping Station Existing Initial Design Final Design
Making the waterfront accessible to public emerged as strategic consideration cutting across planning, development and management dimensions
Waterfront promenades with commercial uses tend to be more active and vibrant than promenades, where residential developments to no work as well and become dead spaces as they are perceived to be more private in nature
London South Bank
The waterfront is a place to think and relax an urban space for people to meet
Cultural Heritage The Rocks preserving its heritage, mix of old and new development, bringing people to the harbourfront. This is where Australia originated.
BOAT QUAY more individually owned, looks more authentic, but more difficult to manage and less successful (according to URA)
CLARKE QUAY acquired, repackaged and sold, now under single ownership of a master developer, commercially more successful since recent renovation, with better mix of activities and choices for customer (more popular among local people despite themed artificial look)
Harbourfront Commission Master Plan for Victoria Harbour including harbourfront land and water Implementation Plan with projects identification and phasing (short, medium and long term) Identify Management and Maintenance Responsibility (Government or PPC) Overseeing design, construction and management Marketing and Branding Monitoring Performance
Conclusion Attractive and vibrant harbour does not stop at plan making process Strong Leadership, strong commitment Strong executive arm of Harbourfront Commission Harbour Unit adequate resources Professional Participation
Hong Kong s Harbourfront Fragmented authority and functional fragmentation Lack of responsible agency with adequate authority to take charge of policy delivery and management Hong Kong needs a strong vision and leadership to transform Victoria Harbour into a major destination in the region and the world Promoting Urban design excellence Investing in the public realm and urban greenways Provision of open space
Challenges & Opportunities Singapore Strong vision and leadership transformed into a Garden City attracting over 10 million visitors annually Successful due to strong national planning, development and management Emphasis on good quality architecture, urban design excellence, place-making, high quality public realm, cultural diversity, heritage conservation, quality natural environment and sustainable development Nanny state
Challenges & Opportunities Sydney Successful waterfront city attracting more than 26 million visitors annually Primarily planned, developed and managed by state-run agencies Citizen participation Prominent in Sydney and instrumental in preserving The Rocks - a vibrant heritage precinct, famous waterfront destination popular for shops, restaurants and museums
Developmental Approaches and Strategies Mixed Use and Sustainable Development Marina Bay, Singapore New CBD on 360ha Gardens by the Bay Extensive land-marine interface with water-related leisure, recreational and entertainment activities Continuous waterfront promenade of 3.5km in length
Developmental Approaches and Strategies Local consultation required at policy and planning stage in Sydney, to assure local community endorsement and obtain popular support. Public input has led to a number of modifications in planning of the Barangaroo development
Developmental Approaches and Strategies Private Participation Singapore URA basic strategy using private resources Singapore Riverfront Enhancement Plan and Master Plan 2003 developed with support of public funds Sydney Public policy makes development initiatives and private investment dominant Development of Darling Harbour and The Rocks Private sector involved substantially in planning of Barangaroo development
Singapore PPP is basically a stateled effort in Singapore, as major business organization are government owned, most notably, the Singapore Cruise Centre which eventually became a private limited company.
Sydney Policy mandate came from State Government of New South Wales task of developing, managing and marketing harbourfront areas entrusted to Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Sydney Woolloomooloo Wharf, New South Wales Maritime Authority Barangaroo Development, Barangaroo Development Authority Circular Quay Darling Harbour, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Management & Implementation Strong convergence of development strategies, emphasis on connectivity, mixed-use development, public engagement, private participation, heritage preservation and brand development
Centralized vs. Localized Sustainable development of waterfront requires strong and centralized waterfront authority to lead and organize entire effort for realizing policy vision
Integrated vs. Functional Need to get away from bureaucratic fragmentation and functional departmentalization Vertical and horizontal integration needs one single government agency full responsibility from planning, development and implementation, to the management of the waterfront.
Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority Responsible for strategic and land use planning, development control and implementation Marina Bay Agency o Dept. of URA that manages and promotes Marina Bay, funded by the National Government and returns from land sales partially pay for development
Sydney Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) Formed in 1999 by merging 3 existing authorities Sydney Ports Corporation (SPC) Manages all commercial shipping freight and cruise liners, and develops port facilities New South Wales Maritime Authority (NSWMA) Created in 2004 and self funded Acts as policeman to safeguard the harbour Manages boat registrations, licenses drivers and also contracts out place management to the SHFA
Public-Private Partnership Private sector can provide necessary capital, business ideas and management expertise often unavailable in public sector
Lessons for Hong Kong Hong Kong may need a 3- pronged approach Overall agency to coordinate and look into aspects related to harbourfront Development Authorities should be set up in specific areas o West Kowloon o Kai Tak Other harbourfront areas like Hung Hom, Causeway Bay should have PPP
Lessons for Hong Kong HK needs a strong vision and leadership to transform Victoria Harbour into a major destination in the region and in the world through promoting urban design excellence, investing in the public realm and urban greenways, providing open space to give relief from extreme high density of city
Lessons for Hong Kong Needs a strong development bureau like that of Singapore s URA, responsible for planning, implementation, management and marketing o Detailed planning for all districts along the harbour including urban design guidelines to ensure a vibrant harbourfront
Lessons for Hong Kong Comparing Kai Tak and Marina Bay Development Character of similar size land parcel, ownership and context of site Management of Development entrusted to single body Development Process Establish Kai Tak Development Agency responsible for branding, place management and marketing Consider upgrading CEDD s Kowloon Development Office (KDO) and extend responsibilities Kick starting public and community uses of Kai Tak and surrounding water bodies, creating awareness and value Rigid implementation of OZP, need for flexibility and continuous improvement program in fine tuning plans
Way Forward Hong Kong Government should see to the need for the establishment of a Harbour Authority (or similar agency) to oversee the management of the entire harbourfront (or certain crucial parts) of Victoria Harbour.
Way Forward Aligning objectives and incentives from planning to delivery are critical to the success of the harbour and the harbourfronts as providers of both leisure and commercial opportunities which contribute to the city in a sustainable manner.
Thank You