Urban Renewal Authority 2018-19 Annual Report

39 OPERATING REVIEW Redevelopment is one of the URA’s two core business under the URS. During 2018/19 and including up to 30 June 2019, it has completed the clearance of one project site, awarded three joint venture tenders and commenced and implemented two additional projects under the planning-led approach bringing planning benefits to the community and facilitating sustainable urban renewal. Up to 30 June 2019, a total of 62 projects comprising 59 redevelopment projects, two preservation projects and one revitalisation project have been commenced and implemented by the URA. Another six redevelopment projects undertaken in collaboration with the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) have also been completed. The end result of these 68 projects is about 19,950 new residential flats, 423,000 square metres of commercial space including shops, offices and hotels, 54,000 square metres of Government, Institutional and Community (GIC) facilities and 28,000 square metres of public open space. New Redevelopment Projects Wing Kwong Street/Sung On Street (KC-014), To Kwa Wan; Kai Tak Road/Sa Po Road (KC-015), Kowloon City The URA commenced two new self-initiated projects, namely Wing Kwong Street/Sung On Street Project (KC- 014) and Kai Tak Road/Sa Po Road Project (KC-015), during 2018/19. Wing Kwong Street/Sung On Street (KC- 014) in To Kwa Wan was launched in June 2018 under the district-based approach. When combined with the five other nearby commenced URA projects in the area, the resulting redevelopment integrated with other proposed urban renewal strategies will achieve greater and holistic planning and social benefits for the district aiming to create a more walkable and smarter district. Subsequently, the Secretary for Development (SDEV) authorised the URA to proceed with the project in February 2019 and acquisition offers were made in May 2019. The Kai Tak Road/Sa Po Road Project (KC-015) in Kowloon City, which commenced in February 2019, will restructure the urban fabric and road layout with the provision of public carparks and community facilities. The project will also create a node between the Kai Tak Development Area and Kowloon City through a proposed sunken plaza connecting the project to the Kai Tak underground shopping street, thus linking the “old” and “new” districts. An integrated approach will be adopted by leveraging the provision of public carpark at KC-015 to explore pavement widening at nearby streets in order to enhance the walkability and street vibrancy and preserve the local character of the district. The split-level sunken plaza will become a vital node connecting the new Kai Tak Development Area and the old area of Kowloon City, enhancing the connectivity and injecting vibrancy.