Which Wan Chai will it be - heritage district or air-conditioned glass box?

Town planners and community leaders have warned that Wan Chai risks being turned into an 'air-conditioned glass box' resembling Admiralty within 20 years if the government continues to allow historic buildings to be knocked down in favour of skyscrapers.

They are also frustrated that the government has not produced an overall blueprint for consultation.

One of the chief concerns is that the character of Wan Chai - historically the district with the most diverse mix of social classes and businesses - will be lost in the push to redevelop the area between Johnston Road and Queens Road East.

The massive construction work already taking place in Tai Yuen Street and McGregor Street will be followed by the bulldozing of Lee Tung Street in two years. The street is known as Wedding Card Street because of the dozens of such shops that sprang up in the 1970s.

Chris Law, a veteran architect and convenor of the Urban Regeneration Taskforce, a non-government group dedicated to urban renewal, is concerned that the redevelopment projects will shatter the district's intricate business mix of design houses, architectural firms and printing workshops.

'With its proximity to the financial hub in Central, Wan Chai has a strategic role to play as it offers a convenient and inexpensive place to accommodate second-line businesses serving the needs of the big enterprises in Central,' he said.

Many businesses and residents say the promised level of compensation from the Urban Renewal Authority will not allow them to stay in Wan Chai. 'If the bulldozing goes on, Wan Chai will either become an air-conditioned glass box or another Admiralty in 15 or 20 years. Who needs more shopping malls in Hong Kong?' Mr Law said.