The effect of urban redevelopment on the community : a case study in Kwun Tong

Abstract

Urban redevelopment is a land redevelopment process which helps to regenerate an aging area. This process often involves demolition of old building structures relocation of businesses and people. It also brings new urban designs and new concepts to the target redevelopment zones; it redefines what “Up-to-standard” means to both the general public and the people living in the redevelopment zones. Urban redevelopment also helps to maintain a suitable balance among the social, environmental, economic and cultural aspects to make sure all these dimensions are working harmoniously to enhance the sustainability of the redevelopment zones. Every move made during the redevelopment process of a zone brings about positive and negative impacts on the people, environment, economy and existing social linkage. Frequent reviews should be done to ensure everything is on the right track and appropriate plan adjustments should be applied to fill up any loophole spotted. The spotlight of this paper is on one of the on-going redevelopment projects in Hong Kong, that is, the Kwun Tong Town Centre Redevelopment Project, which is the largest single project undertaken by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) since its establishment in 2001. This paper focuses on the social, environmental and economic impacts of the Kwun Tong Town Centre Redevelopment Project on this redevelopment zone and places nearby. Both conceptual and empirical literature reviews regarding issues related to urban redevelopment will be done to provide a foundation of this research. Comments and opinions of affected stakeholders will also be gathered through interviews, discussed and analyzed in the following sections. This study is expected to provide an up-to-date picture of the redevelopment zone and a true reflection of stakeholders affected since the commencement of the project, which may help people to have better understanding of the impact of a redevelopment project on a district and help planners to make relevant adjustments whenever necessary.