They will meet Wan Chai residents at the playground on Monday afternoon to listen to their views.

District council chairwoman Ada Wong Ying-kay said the project was the city's first community-led public space design.

She said she was confident with the outcome as 'a right process guarantees a right outcome'.

The project is jointly organised by the British Council and the district council.

Under their plan, the pair will present a number of design options and their financial implications to Wan Chai residents when they visit the city again in July.

They have been to Hong Kong twice. At the end of their first visit early last year, they picked the playground after observing it as the gathering point of Wan Chai's residents.

They came again in September to get to know the neighbourhood by walking around and talking to residents.

Ms Wong said: 'Over the past hundred years, public parks, gardens and playgrounds in Hong Kong were designed by government officials. This approach is very outdated.'

While the project has yet to secure investment pledges from the government, Ms Wong was optimistic the playground would have an artistic facelift. She will explore ways to involve the private sector.

She said some property developers were interested in the project. 'It doesn't necessarily mean money. It is about good corporate citizenship.'

The architect and designer had met Hopewell Holdings and Swire Properties, she said.

Meanwhile, residents and shop owners of Wedding Street, or Lee Tung Street, said yesterday they would resubmit their regeneration proposal to the Town Planning Board. The board rejected their proposal last Friday.