Queen’s Pier rebuilding plans anger protesters who fought its demolition
Hong Kong localist movement traces its roots to 2007 protests over removal of pier from Victoria Harbour front; some of the same protesters want it rebuilt on its original site, now inland, not on harbour
HK$12b transformation of Hong Kong’s Central waterfront: what’s about to happen
The result will be a visual mess, as its design is different to that of the two piers, says architect Martin Fung. “Together with the new [mock Edwardian] Star Ferry pier, we will end up with a bunch of fake heritage buildings,” he says.
Nicholas Brooke, the Harbourfront Commission chairman, says there was “a groundswell” of discussion during community engagement exercises about the Central harbourfront plans that Queen’s Pier should be rebuilt where it formerly stood.
“We are proposing it should be on the water. It seems odd to me to put a pier away from the water. But I understand there’s an issue with history, and with heritage.”
Although the exercises ended on May 17, the Development Bureau remains non-committal about how to proceed on Queen’s Pier. The government will “consider carefully” views received in the process before deciding on the way forward, the bureau says. Is the way open for a U-turn?