Facelift for three Hong Kong harbourfront areas
New waterfront authority, which will be set up by June next year, will start its revitalisation work in Kai Tak, Tsim Sha Tsui and north shore
Kai Tak, Tsim Sha Tsui and the waterfront along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island will be the first areas to be revamped by the harbour authority that will be formed by June next year, the South China Morning Post has learned.
The details emerged after Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said in his policy address on Wednesday that he would back the establishment of an authority with financial support.
Turning the existing Harbourfront Commission, which only has an advisory role, into a much more powerful authority is likely to transform Victoria Harbour.
The harbour is seen by some as boring and inaccessible. A new authority is likely to make it more vibrant and pedestrian-friendly, with a mix of more land and water-based activities.
The need for a harbour authority had been discussed for almost 10 years. The new body will plan, design and manage the waterfront instead of leaving the task to various departments, which have often failed to deliver improvements.
In March, the government will begin a public consultation on establishing the authority, which will replace the Harbourfront Commission, a proposal that the previous administration set aside.