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HK$21.6b 'not enough' if arts hub built now

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The authority responsible for the West Kowloon arts hub yesterday admitted that the budget of HK$21.6 billion would not be enough to cover the costs if it is built in one go.

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority said it picked Norman Foster's design even though it knew it was not the cheapest of the three options. But it believed it could stay within budget.

A day after announcing the selection of Foster's design for the cultural hub, Ronald Arculli, the authority's development committee chairman, said on a radio programme the budget of HK$21.6 billion would not be enough if they built everything now.

But Arculli said if the construction work was broken into stages over the years, it would allow the authority to generate returns from investments and keep costs under control. He said the authority would not ask for more funding in the near future.

'Construction costs are on the rise. Industry veterans have reminded us that we need to be extra careful about when to tender the project,' he said.

Arculli remained tight-lipped about the projected costs to execute Foster's design. It will take nine months to prepare a development plan from the design that will be submitted to the Town Planning Board for consideration this year.

Highlights from the two other contenders - Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and Rocco Yim Sen-kee - would be incorporated into Foster's master plan, Arculli said.

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