Concrete Analysis | Departure from ‘highest bid wins’ tender means Central harbourfront reclamation project can really meet its potential
- The government’s new ‘two-envelope’ bidding process for a prime parcel of reclamation land means design quality will be as important as price
- That gives Hong Kong a golden opportunity to create a waterfront to rival the best in the world, writes Nicholas Brooke
The government recently decided to amend the tendering approach for the Central reclamation project’s “prime site 3” land parcel to embrace a “two-envelope” bidding process.
This marks a welcome departure from long-standing policy in Hong Kong, where invariably such tenders were awarded to the highest bidder without regard for the quality of the proposed development.
However, while the administration deserves credit for recognising that dollar value is not the only way to assess a winning bid, there is still plenty left to do to ensure site 3 meets its potential.
While the essence of the two-envelope bid is that it balances both financial and design aspects, in reality there are a host of other factors that come into play, including sustainability, connectivity, community access, and public consultation.
What is important now is that the details are quickly hammered out in an equitable way. Developers will then know where they stand, while the rest of the community can be assured that Hong Kong will get the iconic statement that the city deserves.