How far do you agree that reclamation is the most effective way to increase the supply of land in Hong Kong? (Case: Central and Wan Chai Waterfront) Sabrina.

How far do you agree that reclamation is the most effective way to increase the supply of

land in Hong Kong?(Case: Central and Wan Chai Waterfront)

Sabrina Hung F.4CMonica Lam F.4ACarmen Lam F.4ATiffany Chow F.4ABibian Lam F.4CJasmine Ho F.4A

Kimberley Kwan F.4C

Background information of the case (Central and Wan Chai Waterfront)

1. The Central-Wan Chai Bypass

- a strategic highway

2. The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre – phrase II

…will be built in Central and Wan Chai Waterfront by reclamation

Location of the reclaimed by-pass

Location of the reclaimed by-pass

Background information of the case (Central and Wan Chai Waterfront)

• The Central-Wan Chai Bypass construction works have started in the end of the 2009 for proposed completion in 2017

• Cost of the construction is $ 3.8 billion

Background information of the case (Central and Wan Chai Waterfront)

•To facilitate dispersing traffic from Wan Chai North and Causeway Bay

•To divert gridlocks through traffic away from the Central Business District

∴The by-pass could thus relieve the traffic congestion

Effectiveness of the by-pass

• Pros:

- With the by-pass, time required to travel Central during rush hours will be reduced to 5 minutes from the present 15 minutes

• Cons:

- Attract drivers from the central and eastern parts of Hong Kong Island who are not in need to the by-pass

Alternative ways to solve the traffic congestion

• Since there are increasing number of vehiclestravel Central during rush time. However,

• The limiting lands as well as roads in Hong Kongcannot alleviate the traffic congestion in Central

• Therefore, the possible solution is to increasethe supply of land. Apart from reclamation, there are several ways

also…

1.Deforestation

2. Urban renewal

Impossible reasons for deforestation to take place in Central

In order to practice deforestation, hills and woods are needed. However…

•Central is the commercial urban area in Hong Kong•Almost all the land are lowland•Implies that no hills in Central

Deforestation cannot take place in Central to increase supply of land to alleviate the traffic congestion

Impossible reasons for urban renewal to take place in Central

In order to exercise urban renewal, large sum of compensation to the building owners and long period of time for redevelopment are needed. However…

•Serious traffic congestion in Central is a prompt problem to tackle•Long period of time is unacceptable

•If the cost of building up the by-pass is too large •The actual profit of the by-pass might exceed the cost paid•Affect and damage interest of residents

Urban renewal cannot take place in Central to increase supply of land to alleviate the traffic congestion

Possible reasons for reclamation to take place in Central

•Central is along the coast of Hong Kong Island

•Reclamation is a comparatively fast and cheap method to increase supply of land

•Reclamation affect less stakeholders concerned

Therefore, reclamation is possible and suitable to take place in Central

To a large extent, we agree that reclamation is the most effective way to increase the supply of land in Hong Kong.

• Since…

Rapid population growth in Hong Kong

More demand for transport land use , commercial land use, residential land use etc.

• However…

Low land in Hong Kong is limited

• Therefore…

Increase supply of land is necessary

1. no other more effective means (i.e. deforestation and urban renewal) to increase supply of land in Hong Kong

2. many places in Hong Kong have similar conditions as Central (e.g. Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui).

near the coast

developed urban areas

busy communities

Reasons support reclamation is the most effective ways to increase supply of land in

Hong Kong

The endThank you