The role of government in revitalizing industrial areas in Hong Kong

Abstract

Industrial sector was dominated before 1970s, in order to meet the social need at that period, the Government put great effort in industrial development. Industrial areas were commonly found. As economic restructured, the open door policy made “industrial” sector was replaced by “financial” sector gradually.

Facing this changed environment, many industrial buildings are being under-utilized and some are even vacant. This is definitely a waste of land resources in Hong Kong. With the increase in population, demand in space increase and hence land resources is valuable.

Under the Town Planning Board, Land in Hong Kong was marked to restrict the land use on areas. For example, the area marked in “industrial” use means the buildings located were restricted to be use in industrial which most industrial buildings were found in that area. “Rezoning” and the introduction of “Other Specified Uses” annotated “Business” (“OU(B)) zone was introduced in respond to the situation that most of the buildings were non-compliant use in the industrial buildings. This is what the Government put effort to tackle the problem and the rezoning progress is still an on-going policy.

In addition, some industrial buildings which located in the industrial zone and rezone to be “OU(B)” zone, even though rezone the areas, non-compliant uses in some industrial buildings are still found. The government hence established revitalizing industrial policies in 2009-2010 Policy Address in which to promote the revitalization of old industrial buildings through encouraging redevelopment and conversation of them.

In this paper, there is a study on how the Hong Kong government takes part in the revitalization project in the industrial areas. The current uses of the industrial buildings, the establishment of the revitalizing industrial buildings policies in Hong Kong will be discussed, and through the oversea case to find out the whether there is lesson can be learnt for the Hong Kong government in regeneration an area.