MKT 6061 Group Paper

How to build a long term Heritage Conservation strategy Group 7

Group Members

Dickman Yu(06488400)

Doris Yuen(06488320)

Ricky Law(06901560)

RingoMo(06325960)

Rosita Wong (06326870)

  1. Executive Summary

The positioning of Group 7 is as follows:

  1. We agree that Hong Kong cannot afford heritage preservation if we do not preserve our economic sustainability (which was said by Donald Tsang, our CE in Jan 28 2008), but on the other hand “…they (heritage) do matter because that is our memory, that is our culture, that is our identity…” said by Christine Loh.
  2. The three major parties involved in the heritage conservation (herein as “HC”) are Hong Kong Governments, Watch Groups and the general public. Of course there are some other parties like big corporations, those non-profit making organizations, heritage experts, etc. But the former three groups are the major parties in the current heritage conversation policy of Hong Kong.
  3. We believe the government, Watch Groups and the general public all agree there is a need to conserve those important heritages, and they know there is no free lunch, cost must come from somewhere. The problem right now seems to be the unaligned expectation on various parties.
  4. We believe Hong Kong government need to have a more well accepted heritage conservation system (when mature, can become a mechanism enforced by statutory laws). There arealso some insight we can learn from neighbouring countries.

Group 7 will investigate the general understanding and expectation from three mentioned parties, namely, from Government units, Watch Groups, and the general public. Interviews and findings in questionnaire research (140 set of completed questionnaires) have been conducted in this paper to help us get a more indepth picture.

Special thanks to :

Ms Petsy Cheng of SEE Network and Ms Iris Tam of URA for their sharing on the heritage conservation viewpoints.

II. Introduction

  1. What is Heritage Conservation?

UNESCO adopted the World Heritage Convention (WHC) in 1972. Since the adoption of the WHC, the International community has embraced the concept of"sustainable development". The protection & conservation of the natural & cultural heritage isa significant contribution to the sustainable development.

According to the WHC, Cultural Heritage is defined as monuments, group of buildings, sites which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science.

Besides the board framework set out by UNESCO, there are other well established charters and conventions which have been devised through international collaboration, namely, Venice Charter (1964) and the Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) Burra Charter (1999).

Following the definition in Burra Charter, Conservation means all the processes of looking after a place so as to retain its cultural significance and is based on a respect for the existing fabric, use, associations and meanings. It requires a cautious approach of changing as much as necessary but as little as possible. Besides, the physical location of a place is part of its cultural significance. A building, work or other component of a place should remain in its historical location.

The cultural significance of a place and other issues affecting its future are best understood by a sequence of collecting and analysing information before making decisions. Understanding cultural significance comes first, then development of policy and finally management of the place in accordance with the policy.

  1. Heritage Conservation in Hong Kong
  2. The Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (AMO) came into effect in 1976 to ensure that the best examples of Hong Kong’s Monuments were under appropriate protection. However, this only protects over 50 years old and other types of heritage identified above have no formal statutory protection or status.
  3. In the same year the Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB) and the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMOffice) were also established. So far over 230 archaeological sites have been identified and 496 heritage buildings have been graded (in addition to the 81 declared “monuments” which have been designated, refer to Appendix I for the current definition of grading.)
  4. Tangible vs Intangible Value
  5. As for definition of heritage asset, “Architectural Significance” is currently the only test under the law in Hong Kong when considering legal protection for our built environment no matter what unique, historical, social or cultural value may be attached to a particular property, group of properties or a neighborhood.
  6. The tradition of focus on physical nature of a heritage had seldom been questioned by the public in the past e.g.Stanley Marray (美利樓): is in fact a failure case in the eyes of conservationists. However, this “ traditional” view appears to be changing in the society, which could be demonstrated through the outcry over the demolition of the Star Ferry Pier and the active efforts being made to preserve Queen’s Pier recently. The Star Ferry Pier as such was not a very old or impressive architecturally. However, the events that took place there and the practicality and pleasure which people associate with the ferry itself became embodied in the place developing an emotional value or, as it is now known in Hong Kong, a “collective memory”. Within the notion of collective memory, it appears that the setting is important, not just the specific location itself.
  7. Current Initiatives by the Government
  8. The Development Bureau (DEVB) was established on 1 July 2007. DEVB comprises the planning and lands group of departments as well as the re-organisation of nine government departments under one roof, namely, Planning Department, Lands Department, Buildings Department, Land Registry, Architectural Services Department, Civil Engineering and Development Department, Drainage Services Department, Electrical & Mechanical Services Department and Water Supplies Department. Mrs Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥)assumed the post of the Secretary for Development. DEVB is also tasked to enhance the Government's heritage conservation work and to strike a balance between development and conservation.
  9. In September 2007, shortly after the setup of DEVB, it was discovered that King Ying Lei, the 1937-built private property which with traditional Chinese architectural characteristics, was being dismantled by the new owner. Followed by the strong noises from the watch group and the public, the Development Bureau immediately announced that King Yin Lei would be declared as a proposed monument. This reactive approach of conservation, however was strongly criticized.
  10. In view of the raising concern from the public, Donald Tsang,, the Chief Executive announced in his 2007-08 Policy Address that in the coming 5 years, the Government would press ahead the work on heritage conservation.
  11. Various initiatives and action proposed by the Development Council includes:
  12. Implement the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme (“RHBTP”) for Government-owned historic buildings

(i)The scheme is one of the major initiatives underpinning the Government's heritage conservation policy. The scheme aims to make use of the historic buildings to achieve the dual objectives of promoting social enterprise and putting historic buildings to good uses. The first phase was announced on 22 February 2008. Non-profit-making organisations (NPOs) was invited to submit proposals for seven historic buildings, namely, Old Tai Po Police Station (舊大埔警署), Lui Seng Chun (雷生春), Lai Chi Kok Hospital (荔枝角醫院), North Kowloon Magistracy (北九龍裁判法院), Old Tai O Police Station (舊大澳警署), Fong Yuen Study Hall (芳園書室) and Mei Ho House (美荷樓).

(ii)Successful applicants will be given funding support, which includes a grant to cover the cost of major renovation to the buildings, and a grant to meet the starting costs and operating deficits of the proposed social enterprise for a maximum of the first two years of operation subject to a ceiling of $5 million per building. In addition, nominal rent will be charged for the historic buildings.

(iii)There was no further detail provided by the Development Council as for the timing and what buildings to be included in future batches of RHBTP.

  1. Conduct heritage impact assessment for new capital works projects
  2. Provide economic incentives for conservation of privately-owned historic buildings
  3. Facilitate maintenance of privately-owned graded historic buildings. A Commissioner for Heritage's Office will soon be set up in the Development Bureau, which will provide a focal point of co-ordination for public participation, adaptive and repair of historic buildings, as well as for overseas networking.
  4. Launch various Public Awareness Campaign on Heritage Conservation

III. What are the generally perceived value and cost for Heritage Conservation in Hong Kong?

  1. Value for Heritage Conservation
  1. Historical and Cultural Value:

Heritage is an evidence displaying history, reflecting people behaviors and culture in the past. It can educate people about evolution of a city. Landmark building can not only symbolizes the image of a city, but also allow people to trace historical origin of the city.

  1. Social Value:

Heritage provides us with tangible and visible contact with history. Rezoning, conservation and conversion to other land use can be of high recreational and educational values. Heritage can tell the people how the past looked like as it records some significant historical events. People would be proud of their unique social roots by appreciating the evidence of human activity. A sense of belonging to the place can be fostered. Their cultural identities can be cultivated because heritage represents people's collective memories in a society.

  1. Economic Value:

Historical buildings with great historical and architectural importance can become assets of a place after successful restoration. By revitalizing and converting them to tourists' spots such as museum, their value can rise substantially because it can attract visitors and boosts tourism industry, which is an important economic pulse of Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s reputation as an international modern city with its long and distinctive history can be enhanced.

  1. Sustainable Development:

The United Nation Conference on environment and Development introduced the concept of sustainable development in 1992. It is defined as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Heritage belongs to the present and also the future generation so it should be protected for the benefits of future generation.

  1. Cost for heritage Conservation
  1. Opportunity cost for economic development:

Land resource is limited in Hong Kong and many old buildings occupying potential sites of commercial development. Base on the principle of heritage conservation, the city planning for economic development has to make way in certain extent.

  1. Additional funding to:
  2. assist the privately owned building to participate in the Heritage Conservation Project. The government should set aside funds to buy, maintain and manage privately held buildings and sites which have been recommended for conversation by specialist.
  1. form a specialist team to input more constructive and practicable advice in a long term basis.
  2. educate the public. To increase the awareness of heritage conservation for the public.

IV.The major gaps among HK Government , Watch Groups and the general public

A.From the perspectives of HK Government:

i. Some Facts:

  1. The current treatments on cases like Queen’s Pier and King Yin Lei show the inadequate consultation and communication with the general public and loose awareness to monitor those heritages owned by private sectors.
  2. High land cost policy still prevails in Hong Kong, which to a certain extent, drive the city in a mode of “development and renewal”. Such mode is, by nature, a hindrance of preservation of old heritage.
  3. HK government did “react” to the demand of heritage conversation in current years. In 2007, Donald Tsang has highlighted in the Chief Executive Policy Address“Cultural life is a key component of a quality city life. A progressive city treasures its own culture and history along with a living experience unique to the city. In recent years, Hong Kong people have expressed our passion for our culture and lifestyle. This is something we should cherish. In the next five years, I will press ahead with our work on heritage conservation.”
  1. The Development Bureau (DEVB) was established on 1 July 2007. Headed by Mrs Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥), DEVB is also tasked to enhance the Government's heritage conservation work and to strike a balance between development and conservation.

ii.Hidden Gaps:

1.No integrated planning among various government unitswhich now involve and influent heritage conservation. Among all these units, no solid consensus so far on various key questions, such as definition of heritage and monuments, extent of the heritage should be preserved, include the intangible asset or not? How to balance the heritage preservation level as well as meeting the current construction and safety needs if public is encouraged to visit that heritage. How active to monitor possible demolition of a valuable privately owned heritage?

(i)The Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO), now under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), is responsible for the recording, research and conservation in this regard.The Antiquities Authority is empowered to prevent alterations, or to impose conditions upon any proposed alterations as s/he thinks fit, in order to protect the monument. Act as a monitoring unit only when proposed development cross the area under the Antique and Monuments concerns (normally in tangible sense). AMO only provides one form of protection for those declared monuments, but doesn’t have bargaining power with private heritage owners on land granting or changing land users.

(ii)The Town Planning Board (TPB)城市規劃委員會is a statutory body established under section 2 of the Town Planning Ordinance (the Ordinance) with a view to promoting the health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the community through the systematic preparation of plans for the layout of such areas of Hong Kong as the Chief Executive may direct, as well as the types of buildings suitable for erection therein.TPB focus more on the macro perspective and relatively less district level and heritage conservation concern at the moment. Under existing institutional framework, Heritage Conservation and land planning are separate issues. No reference to protection of historical buildings in the Town Planning Ordinance. Recent complaints by the public on demolition of Star Ferry and Queen Ferry terminal indicated a lack of consideration of heritage conservation in town planning.

(iii)Urban Renewal Authority (URA) 市區重建局 Main focus are to accelerate redevelopment by replacing old buildings with new ones to provide a better living environment and neighbourhood; to enable and encourage the rehabilitation of dilapidated buildings to prevent urban decay. Her role is more on a developer (as URA should carry her own P&L) instead of a facilitator. Heritage conservation is one of URA’s mandate, yet URA can have its own interpretation of the meaning of heritage conservation if the buildings under concern is not declared as monuments nor graded. E.g. Disputes over redevelopment on Gramham Street and Peel Street. Besides, use of heritage in a profit-making way is still its prime objective.

(iv)Development Bureau (DEVB) As mentioned before, DEVB is currently taking the lead to be responsible for policy on development-related heritage conservation. Policy statements is “To protect, conserve and revitalise as appropriate historical and heritage sites and buildings through relevant and sustainable approaches for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. In implementing this policy, due regard should be given to development needs in the public interest, respect for private property rights, budgetary considerations, cross-sector collaboration and active engagement of stakeholders and the general public.” However, Development Council relies on recommendations from AMO which is not up-to-date for most cases. Demolition of King Yin Lei before decision of AMO illustrated this problem.

2.There is gap between what Government did on Heritage Conservation and the general public’s awareness.In our sample research, less than 31% (from research findings) of the respondents feel comfortable to say understand the Heritage Conservation. More than 62% of the respondents think that the concept is not really clear. Around 6% of the respondents have never come across with the term “Heritage Conservation”.

3.Ownership vs control – It is understandable that Hong Kong government hesitate to acquire monuments and heritage buildings from private sector too aggressively, as it involve the balance of financial resources allocation. Most current heritage and revitalization projects started from the government owned buildings. And up till now no specific law to compulsory collect the ownerships of private heritage buildings. This attribute to the incompleteness of heritage conservation planning for Hong Kong society.

4.Focus on physical structure than cultural and historical value. Whereas watch group and the public (from research finding) think that cultural and historical value associating with architecture is also important.

B.From the perspectives of Watch Groups

i.Some Facts:

1.Those most aggressive conservationist in Hong Kongseems to be Conservancy Association (長春社), Heritage Hong Kong, SEE Network, Heritage Watch (文化傳承監察), etc.

2.Key icons in political societies like Christine Loh, Leung Kai Kit and Local Action (本土行動) have proactively complained the unplanned heritage conservation policy of Hong Kong.

3.Key complaints from Watch groups:

(i)There is no long term strategy for Heritage Conservation in Hong Kong. Government’s officials just react to incidents whenever noise from public gets big. (e.g. RHBTP, only an interim initiatives)

(ii)Hong Kong government used to claim Hong Kong as an international city, but we never follow the international heritage conversation benchmark, like the Burra Charter or The China Principle

(iii)Policy is not transparent enough and lack of public consultation.

(iv)Hong Kong government over count the economic factor while setting the Heritage Conservation policy.

(v)Heritage conservation should be a holistic consideration, not just the architecture, but also the surrounding environment and culture inside that building.