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Olga Wong

Design rethink on West Rail sites

The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation is planning to reduce the size of projects along its West Rail line in the first move by a developer or government corporation to heed the public outcry over the wall effect of major property developments.

Developments set for a trim include those planned for Nam Cheong and Tsuen Wan West KCR stations, which had drawn fire from environmentalists, sources close to the KCRC say. Others are under review.

Also included are plans to transform developments along the line to make them more people-friendly and attract the public with markets, cafes, walkways and open spaces.

At Nam Cheong, the number of high-rises will be cut from 10 to nine, while at Tsuen Wan West, the height of nine of the 11 residential blocks will be lowered by at least 10 storeys.

The sources said the government would have to cut the land premium by about HK$1 billion to attract developers to the reduced Nam Cheong project. The likely cost at Tsuen Wan West is still being calculated.

But a source described it as a 'win-win proposal that benefits the government, developer and community'. He said features planned along the line would attract people and bring more passengers to the underused railway line.

The corporation is seeking approval for the change from the Executive Council, and rallying policy support from the relevant departments.

The move comes amid mounting public pressure for an end to massive, wall-like developments that block sunlight and sea breezes from the surrounding areas.

Early this month, a Sham Shui Po resident took the government to the High Court seeking to halt the construction of such buildings at a site in Hoi Fai Road, West Kowloon. But the judge rejected the application, saying it was the executive's responsibility to manage the environment.

Apart from Nam Cheong and Tsuen Wan West, projects are under review in  Pat Heung, Yuen Long, and Tin Shui Wai. The total potential development area is 60 hectares.

The original plan for Nam Cheong  is for 10 high-rises of 46 storeys to 52 storeys, closely packed with 10 low-rises on a small, elongated site.

'The air ventilation study shows the new proposal is obviously more favourable to the environment,' the source said.

Three sites totalling 9 hectares are currently designated for development at Tsuen Wan West. The original plan shows 20 high-rises of 41 to 61 storeys forming three separate walls along the coast of Tsuen Wan.

In the revised plan for one site,  the heights of nine of 11  high-rises would be cut to about 30 storeys, though the  development density was still under review,  the sources said.

Chinese University professor Essy Baniassad, who heads a research team working out innovative and environment-friendly proposals for the sites, said the original plan for Nam Cheong, with the development isolated by roads,  was very bad.

'Nam Cheong is in a very miserable situation. Why can't we live a better life?' asked Professor Baniassad. He said the redesigned stations were more functional and better integrated with the community.

In the revised plan for Tsuen Wan West, the old urban area would  be revitalised by reshaping Tai Ho Road as a main street with leisure activities.

The road would  form a promenade from the MTR station in the town centre to the KCR development, with the intention of increasing  the use of West Rail and compensating  for the reduced return from the development.

Town Planning Board member Ng Cho-nam welcomed the proposals, saying the KCRC was setting a good example and putting pressure on other developers to follow suit.



KCRC to trim towers over wall effect