Western District residents wishing for a waterfront promenade in an area now used for cargo handling were told yesterday their hopes were unlikely to be realised.
A Marine Department official told residents, planning advocates and legislators at an on-site meeting that the area was in demand as a key port for cargo to the outlying islands.
Tension has flared in the past between workers at the Western District Public Cargo Working Area, fearing for their jobs, and residents who try to use the area for recreation.
Community Ambassadors for Town Planning, a group that supports transformation of the area into a public promenade, says its present use is a waste of resources because there are only a few operators.
But Marine Department principal marine officer Fung Kwok-ming said the area was still in heavy demand.
This was shown, he said, by the fact that some 30 operators had recently tendered for the 23 berths.