Half of shops affected by renewal scheme in Hong Kong’s ‘Little Thailand’ aim to stay in area
- Urban Renewal Authority’s HK$15 billion project in Kowloon City will yield 4,350 flats by 2038
More than half of the local shops affected by a redevelopment project in Hong Kong’s “Little Thailand” have expressed an interest in continuing to operate their businesses in the area, the Urban Renewal Authority has said.
Under the proposal, the local stores can move back to the redeveloped site between Carpenter Road and Nga Tsin Wai Road when the project is completed by 2037-38.
Before that, they can choose to rent shops at a concessionary rate at another renewal project run by the authority in Kowloon City scheduled to be completed by 2031. If they wish, operators can also opt to stay at that site between Kai Tak Road and Sa Po Road.
“Our aim is to allow affected stalls with characteristics to be able to operate during and after the construction,” Wai said in his blog.
“Over half of these operators preliminarily told us they had planned to relocate within the area, with many opting to move to the Sa Po Road project as they hope to resume their businesses as early as possible given that the project will be completed earlier.”