Residents Slam 'altered' West Kowloon Station Plan

A group of residents and district councillors across the political divide have filed petitions against a proposed change to the development project atop West Kowloon Station, saying Sun Hung Kai Properties altered the original plan dramatically.

They said the developer is now trying to build commercial towers of 180-metres in height – 50 percent taller than the original plan, which was approved in 2010.

The councillors and residents say under the original proposal, the plan was to build three towers with a maximum height of 120 metres. But now the developer wants to build two towers of 181 metres.

The residents and councillors have submitted a petition to the planning department over this as the three-week long public consultation on the project comes to and end on Friday.

They said they fear the newly planned higher buildings with its glass walls will trap the heat and affect the environment of the area. Sun Hung Kai's plan has also altered the land use ratio and there will be a higher percentage for retail shops in the buildings, they complained.

Some residents of the area said they have known about this development project years ago and they still brought higher floor flats thinking their views won't be affected. But the new development plan will change that, they said.

Pro-democracy councillor Leslie Chan said if the change is approved by the Town Planning Board, the view, ventilation and traffic in the area will be affected.

SHK had proposed to increase the public area by 70 percent in the plan, like by building a piazza there. But Democratic Party community officer Cindy Li said they can't be sure if non-shoppers can use the piazza.

DAB councillor Hung Chiu-wah said he's collected over 500 letters from residents nearby who oppose the plan. He said looking from Hong Kong island, the new planned buildings will break Kowloon's mountain skyline

In a response to RTHK, Sun Hung Kai Properties said its new plan will create a better living space in the area.

It said its proposal to build two towers instead of three and to increase the area of public and green space would make the site less crowded, and better ventilated with a greater view.

It added that it doesn't plan to increase the gross floor area and that it would not lead to more traffic in the district.