Our Ref: SN/1428 October 2005Planning DepartmentHong Kong District Planning Office14/F North Point Government Offices333 Java RoadNorth Point, Hong KongDear SirThe Chamber's Real Estate and Infrastructure Committee welcomes the opportunity to comment on proposals to control building height in Wong Chuk Hang.Our views are as under.1. Whilst we support the principle of avoiding negative visual impacts, the strict imposition of building heights creates:a. More constraints to design flexibility and innovation, leading to monotonous box-like designs.b. A denser built environment (due to the need to maximise site coverage to accommodate maximum GFA) and thus potential problems with dispersal of dust and other pollutions at street level.c. Reduced opportunities for green features (such as sky gardens) and podium atriums, which in fact contradicts the objectives to provide visual relief and breathing space.It should be emphasized that there must be a balance between Visual Impact and Urban Design considerations such as massing, public realm, streetscape, permeability, legibility, etc. Flexibility is required in the application of the building height restrictions and there must be real opportunity to relax the restrictions based on the merits of individual proposals.2. The effectiveness of the Green, Visual and Ventilation Corridor at the western boundary of the Business Area in improving the environment within the whole Business Area is doubted. As is the effectiveness of the 3 small sites which are limited to 10, 25 and 45m height restrictions - i.e. 2 G/IC sites at the northern fringe and a small OU-PFS Site at Wong Chuk Hang Road. We suggest that Planning Department undertake an air ventilation assessment with and without the proposed height restrictions (the latter also assuming some provision of sky gardens/green features).I hope you will find our comments useful.Yours faithfullyDr Eden WoonCEO
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