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Court action will follow if the planning board again blocks Wan Chai development, Gordon Wu says

Tycoon Sir Gordon Wu Ying-sheung has sent two amended plans for his Mega Tower project to the Town Planning Board, saying they are his last word before he takes legal action.

He is offering more public amenities such as gardens, two pedestrian footbridges and more roads for the twin-tower Wan Chai development in a bid to silence critics.

But some residents criticised the changes as 'cosmetic and superficial'.

The board is scheduled to discuss the project late next month.

'I have no alternative if they reject my plan again,' the Hopewell Holdings chairman said.

'If it happens, all I can do is to take them to court and let the court decide. I will accept the judgment.'

He argued the board was not an architectural body so should have no role in ruling on building design.

The board rejected the plan in May but decided to defer making a decision for two months after hearing Sir Gordon's defence.

The board concluded in its July meeting that the tycoon could go ahead with the project if he improved the design of the two hotels and proved they would not cause traffic congestion.

It said the plan to build the city's biggest hotel had 'many merits' and could 'play a positive role in rejuvenating the ageing Wan Chai'.

The latest proposals include a sky garden and increased space between the two L-shaped towers to address concerns about the 'wall effect' on views.

The tycoon will also work with the Transport Department on widening the section of Queen's Road East opposite the Hopewell Centre and Wu Chung House.

The main difference between the two options is the size of the sky garden and hotel roof.

Sally Emmerton, from the Kennedy Road Protection Group, said: 'His presentation is too general. We are very disappointed that he left all the details unmentioned.'

Meanwhile, Sir Gordon slammed a transport official as 'a rice bucket' - an insult implying stupidity - and told him he was talking nonsense at a Wan Chai District Council meeting.

The verbal crossfire between him and Harry Chan Kam-shun, a senior engineer, prompted council chairwoman Ada Wong Ying-kay to call on all participants to stay calm.

Both men kept pointing out flaws in the other's presentation even after Ms Wong declared the two-hour meeting was over.

The strong words came after Sir Gordon's presentation on the existing traffic data was challenged by the engineer.

Mr Chan said Sir Gordon should not cite average daily figures to support his claim that the Mega Tower hotel project would not worsen traffic.

'The concern of the government is how it will affect the traffic at peak hours,' he said.

At which point Sir Gordon said: 'Harry Chan is a rice bucket and talks nonsense ...'

Mr Chan retorted: 'That's how we rice-bucket civil servants made decisions.'



Tycoon lodges last-ditch plans