Hong Kong border shopping mall will be delayed until at least Christmas
Proponent admits he was 'naive' to believe centre would be finished by National Day holiday
A proposed shopping centre intended to lure mainland visitors as soon as they enter Hong Kong is unlikely to be ready in time for the National Day holiday in October, and may be delayed until at least Christmas.
The lawmaker behind the plan said the delay was due to unexpected complications.
The centre - to be located near the Lok Ma Chau border crossing - was proposed in February amid rising tensions over an influx of shoppers and traders from the mainland that sparked unruly protests. Government officials welcomed it as a way to relieve New Territories towns overrun by mainland shoppers.
Import and export sector lawmaker Wong Ting-kwong yesterday admitted he was "too simple and naive" in believing the planned 420,000 sq ft outdoor centre would be easy to complete and open by October.
The Town Planning Board would not be able to approve the plan until the end of July at the earliest as more time was needed to research transport arrangements and the mall's impact on noise pollution, Wong said.
"We can only kick it off during the Christmas holiday if not the new year," Wong, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said. "I had hoped it would be opened earlier … but after all, the project is not aimed at gaining money but to relieve tensions in society."
