Historic Hong Kong Red House set to be preserved for 10 years
The owner has applied for a subsidy scheme to restore the building, widely thought to be a hideout for revolutionary Dr Sun Yat-sen
A historic building in Hong Kong believed to have been a secret base for the founding father of modern China, Dr Sun Yat-sen, could be preserved for at least 10 years, in a latest turn of events.
In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Wednesday, the Development Bureau said the owner of the Red House in Tuen Mun had agreed not to demolish the proposed monument.
The bureau said the owner also applied for a government subsidy under the Financial Assistance for Maintenance Scheme last month to restore the building.
Historic Hong Kong Red House may have just escaped the wrecking ball
“As a condition of [the scheme], the owner shall not demolish Hung Lau [Red House] or transfer its ownership within 10 years from the completion of the maintenance works,” the bureau said in the paper.
The bureau added that if there was any proposal for “adaptive reuse” of the heritage building, which might involve redeveloping part of the structure, the owner must gain government approval.
Believed to have been built between 1905 and 1910, the Red House is a Grade 1 historic building, the highest in a three-tier grading system, which means every possible effort should be made to preserve the structure.