Lawmaker Albert Chan Wai-yip. Photo: SCMP Pictures
The Town Planning Board yesterday rejected a lawmaker's application to rezone two People's Liberation Army barracks in Kowloon and put up public housing.
Albert Chan Wai-yip of People Power had proposed building residential blocks on the 10-hectare Osborn Barracks in Kowloon Tong - also known as the Kowloon East Barracks - and the 11-hectare Gun Club Hill Barracks in Tsim Sha Tsui. He said the land could provide 12,900 Home Ownership Scheme flats for middle-income house-hunters.
Before the board made its decision, District Planning Officer Lawrence Chau Yat-cheung explained that the two sites were zoned for "other specified uses", a description annotated with the words "military use" - an arrangement that could be traced back decades.
Chan criticised the panel for rejecting his application without giving a proper explanation.
"The government did not ask the PLA to explain how many soldiers are stationed at the barracks and the usage of the land before making the decision," he said. "This is simply a blind decision made to reject the application."
The Planning Department said earlier it would not support the application as the barracks served defence purposes.
According to Article 13 of the country's Garrison Law, the Hong Kong garrison's land can be returned to the city's government, with the central government's approval, if it is no longer needed for military use.
Hong Kong can also apply to the central government to use military land for public purposes. But if it wins approval in such a case, the city must then find and pay for an alternative site for the military.
"The application is not targeting the PLA," Chan said. "But since land is so valuable, it is more beneficial to Hongkongers if the land can be rearranged for residential purposes."
Meanwhile, the board approved a green group's application for a deferral on the Sai Ying Pun and Sheung Wan zoning plan, saying a further technical review of the plan was required.
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