Central Market renewal project set to rise higher

The Town Planning Board approved an application to almost double the height of the Central Market yesterday, drawing criticism from a concern group that said the increased height could obstruct views and air flow.

The application, filed by the Urban Renewal Authority, was seeking a "minor relaxation" of planning rules so it could add a box-like glass structure on top of the 74-year-old historic building as part of its project to transform the market into an arts, culture and dining complex. The height of the building will be increased from 23 metres to 40.5 metres.

Central and Western Concern Group convenor Katty Law Ngar-ning criticised the authority for "bypassing the rules". "I have an impression the board is following rules more and more loosely," she said. "This case is going to be a precedent for developers and public organisations to exploit the minor relaxation mechanism in future developments."

Applying for a change to the maximum height requires the board to hold two rounds of public consultations, but for a minor relaxation, only one round of public submissions is needed.

Law said she would consult legal experts about seeking a judicial review, adding that a taller building would affect light and ventilation in the area. "[The original height restriction] was to ensure spaciousness," she said.

A spokeswoman for the board said members found the new height would cause no negative environmental or visual impact, and they thought the design was innovative. "They … concluded that the decision [of considering it a 'minor relaxation'] should not be based merely on a figure, but on the possible impact on the surroundings," she said.

The project, named Urban Floating Oasis and designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, will see the revamped Bauhaus structure open in about 2017.