Most privately-owned public spaces in Hong Kong lack seating and are under closed-circuit television surveillance, according to the results of an academic study. The study, conducted by a University of Hong Kong researcher and completed last year, investigated 43 public spaces owned and managed by property developers, including prime sites like Times Square in Causeway Bay and Grand Millennium Plaza and The Center in Central. The seven-year study found that 74 per cent of the sites did not display notices saying it was an open space, as required under Buildings Department regulations. Only 60 per cent were open 24 hours a day, and 65 per cent had CCTV surveillance systems installed. Fifty-eight per cent of the sites had no greenery, only nine per cent had artworks installed and 19 per cent had water features. Meanwhile, 19 per cent of the public spaces were partly occupied by outdoor restaurants or cafes. Most of the public spaces did not provide proper seating - only 35 per cent had seating on the ledges surrounding its planted borders, and only 14 per cent had actual benches. One of the key examples studied was Times Square in Causeway Bay, which the study found did not allow sitting in its open piazza when it was opened in 1989. Five railings were installed for seating in 2003 and in the past month, after the public controversy, a few benches have been installed. The author of the paper, Dr Ken Too Wing-tak, interviewed Wharf, the developer of Times Square, in 2003 and asked why no seating was installed. He was told that no sitting was allowed in the open space because the image of the development would deteriorate if people gathered there. Leung Kam-cheung, who was then Wharf Estates China's chief operating officer, and Roger Ma Yuk-pui, the company's chief manager of property development at the time, told Dr Too they did not want to see people sitting in the open space all day long, like they did in the nearby sitting area under the fly-over in Canal Street. The managers specifically said they did not want to see undesirable behaviour, like someone taking their shoes off to rub their feet. Mr Leung and Mr Ma said they did not mean to discriminate against others but that such behaviour would 'create an improper atmosphere'. Dr Too concluded: 'Compared with government pleasure grounds, most of the spaces are found not to encourage the public to enjoy their social interaction. 'The public spaces are highly commercialised ... the public piazza at Times Square is like an outdoor shopping mall promoting the enjoyment of consumption.' The researcher said this was natural, since the developers' goal was to maximise profits. 'I believe that, if the private owners understand more about the public's needs, these spaces can serve the public better,' he said. Chu Hoi-dick, a spokesman for activist group Local Action, said the installation of CCTV cameras in privately-owned public space illustrated the trend of increasing control of public space in Hong Kong. Privately-owned public space means 'dedicated public space' under the legally-binding Building Department Regulations. They are spaces for public use, but under private ownership and management. The government has approved hundreds of such sites to offer more open space to the public. In return, developers get extra floor space. The issue has been the subject of heated debate in the past few months since the media found some of the sites were managed with very tight rules. Developers were also found to have charged groups and companies for staging exhibitions and events. While only about one in four commercial buildings display notices to signal public open space, about two-thirds have such areas under CCTV surveillance. This article first appeared in the Sunday Morning Post on April 13 Under watch While only about one in four commercial buildings display notices to signal public open space, about two-thirds have such areas under CCTV surveillance Percentage of dedicated public spaces with CCTV installed: 65% Public spaces with seating: 35% Public spaces with proper seating, such as benches: 14% Public spaces with outdoor cafe or restaurant: 19% Public spaces with water features: 19% Public spaces with greenery: 42% Source: Too Wing-tak
