Hong Kong developers are not renowned for having a give-and-take attitude towards their projects. Hopewell Holdings' co-founder and chairman, Sir Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, is especially passionate when it comes to his firm's ideas. The announcement yesterday that the company had decided to give in to decades of community pressure and drastically reduce the size of its proposed 'Mega Tower' complex in Wan Chai was, therefore, a surprise. Such a seismic shift in thinking is what is required if our city is to develop in a sustainable manner; we applaud the decision.
Never before has a developer willingly scaled down the size of a project in such a dramatic manner. What is to be known as Hopewell Centre II was to have ranked among our city's tallest buildings, but has been reduced from 93 storeys to 55. The plot ratio and total gross floor area have been reduced, the number of hotel rooms cut by half, to just over 1,000, and there will be less office and shop space. The 5,580 square metres of public space originally proposed will remain and a promise to preserve and revitalise nearby historic Nam Koo Terrace will be kept.
Such an outcome was unthinkable six months ago when Development Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor began negotiating with Hopewell. Sir Gordon proposed the Mega Tower 30 years ago when the company started acquiring land in the area. The firm stuck doggedly to the design despite increasingly vocal opposition from residents complaining that views and air flow would be blocked and that increases in traffic in the area, particularly along Kennedy Road, would be unbearably disruptive. There were objections that the height of the structure would disrupt the skyline of Hong Kong Island by extending beyond the ridge line of background hills. Rather than shelving the proposal, the company took advantage of a town planning loophole and kept it active by submitting slightly modified designs every two years.
In making the announcement, Sir Gordon's son, Thomas Jefferson Wu, denied government pressure was the reason for the turnaround. He contended Hopewell had decided to listen to public opinion; its move, he said, was a practical way forward. It is good that the company has seen reason and decided to meet most of the demands of critics. Mrs Lam must similarly be commended for her part in resolving the dispute in so favourable a manner.
The tower brings benefits to Hong Kong. Amid so much concern about the economic downturn, it is the type of infrastructure project we need to help soften the blow. Hopewell will spend HK$5 billion bringing it to fruition and when completed in 2015, if work starts next year as planned, 4,000 jobs will be created. About 1,500 workers will be needed to build it. It will further enhance a part of Wan Chai that Hopewell revitalised by siting its headquarters there in 1980.
Despite Hopewell's announcement, there remain some doubts about the proposal. Town Planning Board approval may yet be needed; a legal opinion is being sought. Some residents are still not convinced and want to view detailed plans. A traffic flow study has yet to be carried out. But Hopewell has shown it is willing to compromise. While the balance that the developer hopes to strike may not meet the expectations of some of its opponents, it is to be hoped that their remaining differences can be quickly and smoothly dealt with. A sensible solution that would serve as a possible lesson to other developers and community groups is what Hong Kong needs to move the city forward.