Authority's mission is to build a better tomorrow

At the heart of much of the redevelopment being undertaken in the Wan Chai district is the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), whose mission is to 'create quality and vibrant urban living in Hong Kong'.

A substantial part of the URA's recent work has focused on Wan Chai, and has seen the authority working closely with developers, the local community and the government, over some controversial redevelopment plans, such as the development of the Wan Chai market and Lee Tung (Wedding Card) Street. It is also working on a host of other plans that aim to revitalise and preserve specific areas of the district.

'The main aim of the URA is, through different ways of renewal and redevelopment, to improve the living and working environment in the urban cores of Hong Kong,' said Iris Tam Siu-ying, executive director, planning and development of the URA.

Ms Tam said that the authority had implemented a 'Four Rs' plan in Wan Chai, covering rehabilitation, redevelopment, preservation and revitalisation.

'We started with the rehabilitation of buildings in the district that were over 20 years old. These buildings tend to be 15 to 20 storeys high and are in some state of disrepair,' Ms Tam explained.

'The problems with these buildings began back when they were built in the '50s and '60s. There was a water shortage in the '60s and, as a result, the concrete used to build many of the buildings in Wan Chai was mixed with seawater.'