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Written by: Commentary Editing Room
2020-09-25 07:00
Last update date: 2020-09-25 07:00
The government will not extend the validity period of the subscription rights reserved for the second phase of the Hong Kong Disneyland on Wednesday (23rd). The park will not have the priority to expand there in the future, so it is advisable.
Although the future use of the land is limited by the lease and location, there are still many options.
The government often complains about the lack of land. Now that great opportunities are ahead, it must take a good grasp of it and plan carefully to improve the lives of Hong Kong people.
The land near Hong Kong Disneyland has a prescribed height limit, which visually isolates the fairy tale world from the real world.
(Facebook "Mitong Magic Post" picture)
The government and The Walt Disney Company signed a subscription agreement in 2000 to reserve about 60 hectares of land, which can be used to expand the second phase of the park.
The theme park company, a joint venture between the two parties, was approved to purchase the relevant land with a 20-year validity period, and the validity period can be extended.
However, the government decided not to extend the validity period, and the subscription rights expired on Thursday (24th), meaning that the government took back the land.
It is difficult to build a house restricted by the contract
There are two main reasons why the society is dissatisfied with the second phase of the land.
The first is that this piece of land equivalent to the area of three Victoria Parks has been idle for 20 years. It is useless except for holding events and the current quarantine center. The precious land resources have been wasted for many years.
The second is the restriction of land use. The government signed a contract on the height and use limit of the park. The neighboring land cannot build houses, commercial facilities, hotels, racecourses and other facilities, and the buildings cannot be higher than 20 meters. Can maintain a distance from the periphery visually.
Since the park has been in operation so far, there has been a lot of loss time and less profit time, and in the face of competition from theme parks in other countries and regions, it is difficult for all parties to have the incentive to invest in expanding the park.
It is a good thing that the government is finally willing to take back idle land today, but after all, the use cannot be fully determined. In addition, the remote location of the relevant land makes it difficult to develop into a mature new town. It is roughly estimated that it can accommodate at most 30,000 people, which may not be calculated. .
There are opinions that the government, as the major shareholder of the local park company, should be able to use its power to modify the contract, relax building height restrictions or change the land use, but this will inevitably lead to opposition from the Disney side, and the development plan will be involved in long lawsuits at any time.
Two birds with one stone
Chairman Huang Jinda (left) of the Tourism Council and Yao Sirong, member of the Legislative Council of Tourism, believe that it is indeed appropriate for the land to be used for the development of tourism in the future.
(Data Picture/Photo by Gao Zhongming)
In view of the above-mentioned restrictions, it seems preferable to maintain the site for cultural, recreational or tourism purposes.
Many proposals have already been made in the market, such as relocating the Fanling Golf Course, Wu Kai Sha Youth Hostel, or adding sports venues, etc., which can be harmonized with the use of Disneyland, and can also be re-planned and built into urban areas. Kill two birds with one stone.
From a long-term perspective, there is another advantage to the construction of cultural, recreational and tourism facilities on the second phase of the park, which is that it will be easier to relocate in the future.
In 1999, the government approved the first phase of the land for the park in the form of a private agreement for a period of 50 years. After the expiration, the government has the right to renew the land for another 50 years. Now it is about 30 years before the expiry date.
Even if the park continues to add new buildings and facilities, based on current trends, it is difficult for the park to make a big difference in Hong Kong in the future.
Another advantage of retaining cultural and recreational uses
In this regard, the government needs to prepare with both hands, conceiving the future of the paradise after 2050, including ending it.
The government should plan together the current Phase I and Phase II of the park, covering an area of 186 hectares, which is equivalent to the area of ten Victoria Parks.
The establishment of cultural and recreational facilities in the next 30 years can maintain planning flexibility. Even if the land use is changed in the future, the impact on the community will be small.
Regardless of the final long-term and short-term use, the relevant land must be planned afterwards and the transportation facilities must be improved so that it can make the best use of it.
It is also important that the authorities should learn from the lessons learned from signing the "Unequal Contract" with Walt Disney to avoid another situation in which the government bears most of the infrastructure expenditures but allows foreign companies to enjoy the benefits.
When the government has the opportunity to cooperate and develop with the consortium in the future, it must firmly hold the project leadership to safeguard the interests of Hong Kong.
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