Budget Speech

Revitalising Industrial Buildings

37.      We have also made good progress in revitalising industrial buildings. As at the end of January 2011, the Lands Department approved 12 applications for wholesale conversion and 3 applications for redevelopment, while 22 applications were being processed. Most of the buildings approved for conversion or redevelopment are located in Kwun Tong and Kowloon Bay. Their revitalisation will provide additional office space to meet the needs of our economy. We will also put up two business sites in Kwun Tong and Kowloon Bay for sale this year to accelerate the commercial development of these two districts.

38.      In support of the efforts to revitalise industrial buildings, we are considering purchasing an industrial building for conversion into an office building for the relocation of the New Territories West Region Office of the Water Supplies Department (WSD). Apart from injecting new impetus into an old industrial area, this will also allow for more cost-effective use of the original site of the WSD office in the central commercial area in Mong Kok. We plan to adopt green design and introduce environment-friendly and water conservation measures for the conversion works as far as possible. The experience gained will provide practical reference for incorporating green features in retrofitting buildings. This is also in line with the Government’s policy in promoting green buildings.

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