Hong Kong orders archaeological review of former Japanese war memorial site amid construction, heritage preservation concerns
- Construction work is under way at decades-old, low-rise residential blocks Cameron Mansions on Magazine Gap Road, sparking concerns over structure’s base
- Post report from 1947 states that concrete foundation widely believed to house a sword, with its blade pointing towards Tokyo
Hong Kong authorities have ordered a developer to conduct an archaeological assessment of its construction project atop a former Japanese war memorial site, amid mounting concerns about preserving the location’s heritage value.
Construction work is under way at decades-old, low-rise residential blocks Cameron Mansions on Magazine Gap Road, with scaffolding erected around some buildings, according to drone images taken by the Post on Thursday.
Concerns about the potential demolition of the blocks were initially raised by Empty City, a Facebook page focused on preserving Hong Kong’s heritage.
A Facebook post on Thursday flagged structures that were undergoing construction, but it was unclear at the time whether the base, which holds historical significance, would also be removed.
The Development Bureau said on Friday night the base of the Japanese war memorial left behind had archaeological research value, but was not a graded historic structure or an item subject that required grading.
However, it said authorities had requested those responsible for the construction work to conduct an archaeological impact assessment.