Who speaks for public interest in TST as developers build?

Mary Melville is perfectly right in her letter ('How representative are URA's district advisory committees?', April 12): the district advisory committees are obviously totally unrepresentative.

Your front page article ('Property giants' influence grows') the same day reveals that 'directors of six major developers occupy 54 seats on key advisory bodies', which is a further cause of public dismay. The existing committees are just rubber stamps and are ignoring the guidelines and interests of the general public.

Unfortunately, the Urban Renewal Authority and the secretary for planning and lands also neglect to consult genuine residents of the areas under redevelopment.

The luxury Masterpiece/K11 tower in Mody Road is an example of how the URA caters to any demand of developers at the expense of the public interest, and indicates that many rules were amended to meet the requirements of New World Development, the developer.

Unreliable district councillors are generally busy attending lunches and cocktail parties hosted by developers, and are also eager to cater to their demands to ensure financial support in their election campaigns.

Tsim Sha Tsui is developing into a wall of concrete due to huge buildings like The Masterpiece, a mall off Nathan Road called The One, the 1881 Heritage hotel and shopping centre in Canton Road, and many others.