Hong Kong Peak residents counter historic mansion demolition with green belt site plan
Residents living next to Aberdeen Country Park say developer should be allowed to erect a taller building next to 128-year-old Peak house
A group of residents living close to a 128-year-old European mansion near The Peak has put forward a new development and conservation proposal, amid a deadlock over a commercial development plan and an attempt to save the historic house.
Carrick, a grade one historic building at 23 Coombe Road, was initially set to be demolished as its owner wanted to build a luxury residence there. The company, Juli May, suspended the demolition plan last year after the government offered a land swap aimed at saving the house.
Both sides agreed on the use of a piece of green belt land opposite the house as an alternative development site. But in March last year the company withdrew its application to the Town Planning Board for rezoning of the alternative site after residents and Wan Chai district council opposed building on the site next to Aberdeen Country Park.
Juli May was part of Hutchison Whampoa before the firm was reorganised within parent CK Hutchison Holdings in May. There has since been no further update on the firm’s ownership.
Last month, the owner submitted a renewed application seeking to rezone the same green belt site – this time sparking a wider opposition campaign.
District councillor Ivan Wong Wang-tai said the bureau had offered three or four other plots of government land but the developer did not like them.
“Of course the developer insisted on having the Coombe Road site as it has a full sea view and will fetch the best price.
“[The developer] is playing foul … It’s not respecting local voices at all and the Development Bureau seems to be sitting on the fence on this matter.”
CK Hutchison Holdings declined to comment.
Vincent Lo Wing-sang, a resident of neighbouring Carolina Gardens and a member of the Concerned Group for Aberdeen Country Park – a coalition formed to oppose the latest rezoning application – suggested a development and conservation model based on the preservation of Jessville, a grade three historic building in Pok Fu Lam.
Under this model, the owner will be allowed to build a taller building next to the historic mansion. “This will be a win-win situation … There are over 160 grade one historic buildings. If every time the government looks for an alternative development site when the owner says it wants to tear down its building, this will just encourage developers to blackmail the government,” Lo said.
The rezoning application is open for public consultation until Friday.
Dominica Yang, spokeswoman for the Concerned Group for Aberdeen Country Park, said the current proposed land-swap site was next to Aberdeen Country Park and near hiking trails. The site is also in an area with one of the largest roosts for black kites and is a well-known bird-watching site.
“The government should not create the precedent and lead property developers and the general public to believe that green belt and country park land can be encroached upon for development,” said Yang.
Another group, the Alliance for a Beautiful Hong Kong, will hold a press conference tomorrow to voice opposition to the application. Executive director Katty Law Ngar-ning said the government should explore other options for the land exchange instead of encroaching on green belt land.
