The Urban Renewal Authority should focus on bigger projects which can revitalise older districts, according to its managing director.
Billy Lam Chung-lun said dozens of small projects earlier identified by the authority may involve renovation instead of redevelopment.
'There are many sites smaller than 2,000 square metres,' he said, adding that they mostly involved only one or two dilapidated buildings and their redevelopment could be done by private developers.
'What we should do is focus on bigger projects, which allows us to provide more open space to the public and conduct more conservation work during the redevelopment. This will revitalise the living environment in the old areas,' he said.
This approach could be part of the new urban renewal strategy, which will be drafted later this year with the government.
The Urban Renewal Authority was set up in 2001 to implement a renewal programme consisting of 200 new projects and 25 uncompleted projects it inherited from the Land Development Corporation. Only four of the 25 projects left over by the corporation have not been launched. Mr Lam said the remaining projects would go ahead despite opposition from some residents.
They include the walled village of Nga Tsin Wai in Kowloon City, Kwun Tong town centre, Staunton Street in Central, Fa Yuen Street in Mong Kok and Gage Street in Central. Shop owners from Fa Yuen Street, also known as 'Sneaker Street' are strongly opposed to the redevelopment.
