Ho Tung Gardens is a magnificent estate, a mansion steeped in history surrounded by ornate gardens in a secluded location in the most exclusive part of town, The Peak. In other countries such a property would be highly sought after, with or without rules to protect its heritage. But this is Hong Kong, and the estimated HK$3 billion development potential of the land far outstrips the value to the owner of preserving the mansion. The government has rightly stepped in and declared it a proposed historic monument, but negotiations are going nowhere, raising the possibility that the best means of preservation lies in acquiring it with taxpayers' money.
So large an amount cannot be taken from government revenues without legislators' approval. With the temporary designation ending in three months, authorities have a tough decision. Declaring Ho Tung Gardens a monument would mean that the owner, Ho Min-kwan, the granddaughter of late tycoon Sir Robert Ho Tung, cannot redevelop the site, giving her the right to seek compensation. Doing nothing would, in all likelihood, lead to the mansion being demolished to make way for 10 houses, and Hong Kong would lose forever a valuable piece of its past.
The question, then, is not so much whether it is worth keeping - there is no doubt about its architectural, historical and cultural interest - but how much we should be prepared to pay for its preservation. And here there are limits, determined by the intended use of the property and whether it will generate income and provide sufficient public access and enjoyment. Authorities have promised that a consultation will begin soon. In that process they must explain the various options and make as strong a case as possible for protection. If the owner cannot be convinced to drop the redevelopment plan and the billions of dollars of compensation cannot be justified, we must accept that the estate will be lost.
Ho has pledged that the gardens, with their five-storey pagoda, will be kept. But two consultations commissioned by the Antiquities and Monuments Office highlighted the equal importance of the mansion and the necessity of preserving the estate intact. They did not, however, broach the issue of how the building might be used were it acquired by the government. There is also the matter of whether the public is interested in visiting the site, which is in a relatively remote location.
Few people were aware of Ho Tung Gardens until the prospect of it being torn down arose last year. The Chinese Renaissance architectural style of the building is rare in Hong Kong, and the gardens are indeed worth maintaining. It would be a sad loss if bulldozed. But unless Ho can be convinced to preserve it, its survival lies in a strong interest by Hong Kong's people in its protection.