Cheung Kong (Holdings) suffered a major setback last night in its efforts to build a cruise terminal in North Point.
The Town Planning Board voted down the controversial plan amid fierce objections from rivals and public criticism.
'The board questioned whether North Point is the best location for a terminal and would like to further consider alternative proposed locations,' a board spokeswoman said.
The board had previously given approval in principle for Cheung Kong's plan to build the terminal next to a hotel project. For the plan to proceed, it would have required that the Government grant the company a 90,000-square-foot site.
The reversal followed a public outcry and an alternative plan to build a cruise terminal in Kowloon Bay.
After the North Point terminal proposal was mentioned in the Budget speech in March, there were suggestions the Government might be unfairly favouring Cheung Kong, owned by Li Ka-shing.
Wharf (Holdings), which owns the Ocean Terminal, also attacked the plan.