Aberdeen marina development to include homes: govt

Officials are planning to turn a typhoon shelter in southern Hong Kong into a marina equipped with recreational facilities and residential housing in a bid to promote yacht tourism. The Development Bureau on Wednesday said it expects to launch a tendering exercise next year to seek developers to construct the marina in the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter expansion area. In a paper submitted to Southern District Council, the authorities said the planned 11-hectare marina could offer 200 berths. The other part of the proposal includes turning a 1.16-hectare site around Po Chong Wan into residential units as well as other facilities for services such as food and beverage and yacht maintenance “to make better use of the piece of land”. The parcel is expected to provide around 250 residential units, according to the authorities. A bureau spokesperson said while officials do not expect the successful bidder to build single-family detached homes, the residential buildings will likely be luxury apartments. The spokesperson said whether the site ends up offering 250 homes or large units will “depend on the market”. The homes will be built in the Po Chong Wan Temporary Industrial Area, which currently houses around 90 tenants, and the spokesperson said around 20 to 30 percent of them intend to relocate. The government will give at least a six-month notice period for tenants to vacate and will earmark a parcel of land near Tin Wan for relocation. “We don’t think the move will heavily impact our efforts in developing the yacht economy as the Po Chong Wan area isn’t very active,” the spokesperson said, describing the decision as a “win-win situation”. The Aberdeen development will also earmark two breakwaters as public spaces, with one managed by the future developer and the other by Ocean Park. The shelter area is among three proposed locations outlined in the chief executive’s policy address to boost yacht tourism. The other two are the former Lamma quarry area and the Hung Hom harbourfront. Edited by Thomas McAlinden