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Exclusive | Historic Hong Kong police compound to partially reopen as heritage and arts centre in May

Conservation work for the HK$1.8 billion project on Hollywood Road started in 2011 but faced a setback when a wall and roof partially collapsed two years ago

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General view of the Central Police Station Barracks in Central. Photo: Sam Tsang
Shirley Zhao

Hong Kong’s 154-year-old former Central Police Station compound, which is being turned into a heritage and arts site, is expected to partly open to the public as early as May after seven years of conservation, the Post has learned.

At least one of the compound’s 16 historic buildings – the three-storey Married Inspectors’ Quarters built in 1864 – may remain closed due to ongoing efforts to restore a wall and part of its roof, which collapsed in 2016, a few months before the conservation was expected to be completed.
The HK$1.8 billion (US$230.8 million) project on Hollywood Road, led by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, was conceptualised in 2007 and conservation work started in 2011.
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General view of the Central Police Station Barracks in Central. Photo: Sam Tsang
General view of the Central Police Station Barracks in Central. Photo: Sam Tsang

The Post learned that the Jockey Club had targeted opening part of the compound to the public in late May, pending approval from government bodies.

Fear of huge influx of visitors when police station heritage site open

Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui Chi-fung, who is also a member of Central and Western District Council, said the club had recently told him informally about the target.

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