Building extensions at Hong Kong’s Legislative Council will cost HK$1.17 billion
- The Legco extensions are needed to accommodate an additional 20 lawmakers’ offices following Beijing’s electoral overhaul
- Construction on the extensions is expected to begin by the middle of 2022 at earliest and be completed by the middle of 2025
Speaking after a closed-door meeting on Monday, Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen revealed that construction on a new, triangular 10-storey building and an addition of four floors to the existing one was expected to begin by the middle of 2022 at earliest and be completed by the middle of 2025.
Citing information from the Architectural Services Department, Leung said Legco’s secretariat, along with 45 members and their staff, would work from a temporary location on three floors of the nearby Citic Tower while the construction was under way.
Two building extensions planned as Hong Kong legislature grows under Beijing’s overhaul
“The government has rented those spaces for Legco to use … The rent was decided between the government and the landlord based on commercial principles,” he said.
“According to our past agreements, Legco only needs to pay the government HK$1 dollar in nominal rent.”
The new development will not only increase the number of conference venues and offices for Legco members and the secretariat, but will also expand the existing catering facilities, as well as rooms dedicated to educational activities for young visitors.
Legco plans to submit a funding application to its public works subcommittee on August 25. If lawmakers approve the request, it will then be submitted to Legco’s Finance Committee for final endorsement on September 10.
The latest update on Legco’s physical expansion comes four months after a major shake-up of Hong Kong’s electoral system, decreed by the National People’s Congress and aimed at curbing the influence of Hong Kong’s opposition camp.
Under the overhaul the legislature’s membership will increase from 70 to 90, while the number of directly elected lawmakers will be nearly halved, falling from 35 to 20.
The Election Committee, which was previously responsible for selecting Hong Kong’s chief executive, will now also enjoy the power to nominate all Legco candidates and to elect 40 lawmakers of its own.
The newly empowered committee was also expanded under the electoral overhaul, but more than 75 per cent of its now 1,500 seats are set to be filled uncontested after nominations for coming elections ended on Thursday.
A Post review found that the committee would be packed with at least 1,006 Beijing loyalists, giving the central government absolute control over the selection of Hong Kong’s next leader in March.
Asked whether recent developments spelled the end for a diversity of political viewpoints within Legco, Leung insisted on Monday that the situation was still “business as usual”.
“I hope that people who are dedicated to serving Hong Kong can stand for election, so that the Legislative Council can reflect public opinion,” he said.
