The South East Kowloon (SEK) Development has stimulated widespread public discussion on how Hong Kong's future should be planned.
Our sister institutes: the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors are working on an alternative plan for SEK. We believe that their alternative plan will help facilitate meaningful discussion on the objectives and concept of the SEK Development, though the Hong Kong Institute of Planners is not involved in its preparation.
Town planning is not an elite game. Planning objectives and concepts should be established on the basis of community consensus. The problems of the SEK Development are inherited from the town planning system - a system that fails to solicit public views at the early stage and fully address them during the planning process. We urge that Gordon Siu Kwing-chue, Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, should not just involve Legco. The Government should open up the consultation of the SEK planning to the wider community.
HKIP considers that, apart from the extent of harbour reclamation and its impact on the hinterland, the more important issue is the need to critically review the planning objectives and scale of the SEK development within the territorial development context. A community-based vision will emerge only if public involvement is allowed early in the planning study stage, not just during the statutory planning stage.
We urge the Government to review the original plan and propose appropriate amendments, taking into consideration public sentiment and views as well as the pressing need for development land.
As a related issue, the Town Planning Ordinance should be revised as soon as possible to make provision for statutory public consultation on planning study, so as to institutionalise community participation in the process.