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SCMP Reporter

The Airport Authority plans to seek expressions of interest from developers during the next few months to construct its new headquarters at Chek Lap Kok, according to the authority's general manager of property development.

 Allan Yeung said a recent consultancy report had recommended a mid-rise building with a gross floor area of 400,000 to 600,000 square feet on a 45-hectare parcel of land located in what is known as the north commercial district.

 The choice of site was contained in a consultancy report prepared by David C Lee Surveyors outlining possible development scenarios for the 90 hectares of land at Chek Lap Kok airport available for commercial development.

 A total of 27 million sq ft of developable land is available at the airport.

 This is equivalent to lands stretching from Exchange Square to the Sun Hung Kai Centre in Wan Chai, and from the existing waterfront in Central to Queen's Road Central.

 Following approval of the authority's board of directors, Mr Yeung said: 'We will be going to tender to seek a developer to build our office building.'  Mr Yeung said the authority would be a major tenant in the building with other airport-related businesses such as airlines possibly leasing out the remaining space.

 Mr Yeung did not discount the possibility of the authority becoming involved in a joint-venture development of its building with a property firm.

 'The board would consider a number of financial arrangements which would serve the best interests of the authority and minimise our risk,' he said.

 Mr Yeung said some airlines would be likely to lease space in the authority's new building because available space in the new terminal was fast running out.

 'That is why we need to build a head office building for the other airlines who do not have enough space in the terminal,' Mr Yeung said.

 The authority's headquarters was expected to be ready for occupancy by 2000, he said.

 The authority now rents five floors in Central Plaza, Wan Chai, and is in the process of renegotiating its lease.

 Mr Yeung said he did not know if the authority still needed five floors as operational staff were beginning to move out to temporary offices at the new airport.

 Overall, the authority has the go-ahead to build 2.5 million sq ft of hotel space in the airport; seven million sq ft of office space; three million sq ft of retail and entertainment space; and about 14 million sq ft of space for freight-related uses.

 The consultancy report recommended that 4,000 hotel rooms, office blocks and 650,000 sq ft of exhibition centre space be phased in during a 10-15 year period in the north district.

 'We want to create a neighbourhood for the 35 million passengers expected to arrive at Chek Lap Kok,' Mr Yeung said.

 'So it is important to have complementary sorts of developments like hotels and exhibition centres there.'  In the 15-hectare commercial section, which is near the cargo handling-related areas, the consultant has recommended more freight-forwarding operations.

 'The 1.4 million sq ft Sun Hung Kai freight forwarding centre is already 70 per cent pre-leased,' Mr Yeung said.

 'So there is strong demand for such space.'  However, future construction of freight-forwarding facilities would be market-driven and depended upon demand and rents.

 'So buildings will be constructed as demand increases,' he said.

 In the eastern zone, the consultant has recommended joint offices for Dragonair and the China National Aviation Corp. The construction of office park-type developments also has been recommended.

 'We are contemplating an office-park type of environment which would be a low-rise, low-density environment,' he said.



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