Apology after ‘goose egg’ building in Hong Kong goes missing from development plans
Managing director of the Urban Renewal Authority Wai Chi-sing dismissed claims authority was trying to deceive public, bypass public consultation or renege on promise
A redevelopment body in Hong Kong has apologised after a proposed office and retail complex shaped like a goose egg was mislaid from a revised plan without public consultation.
The managing director of the Urban Renewal Authority, Wai Chi-sing, wrote a blog post days after it emerged that the landmark design in Kwun Tong was not in a plan submitted to the Town Planning Board in June.
The public and district councillors were kept in the dark about what had happened to the design, which had been backed by residents in 2007, and also included a terraced park with waterfalls. It was part of the authority’s biggest redevelopment plan to date.
“As the managing director of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) team, I am willing to apologise for the insufficient communications with the District Council ahead of tabling the revised plan to the Town Planning Board and [we] pledge to improve,” Wai wrote on Sunday.
Change in plans for iconic ‘goose egg’ building in Kwun Tong project ruffles feathers
But he dismissed claims the authority was trying to deceive the public, bypass public consultation or renege on its promise, saying such allegations would undermine the effort by his team.
The multibillion-dollar, five-phase Kwun Tong Town Centre Project affects about 1,653 property interests and about 5,000 people.