University of Hong Kong calls Pok Fu Lam site best option for its innovation hub
Building on residential plot in area offers more advantages than locations on Mount Davis and Northern Metropolis land, university says
The university’s stance was shared in a report submitted on Tuesday to the Town Planning Board about a revised development plan for HKU’s global innovation centre.
An initial proposal had suggested that the centre be built on a government-owned green belt along Pok Fu Lam Road, but the move faced strong opposition from residents last year due to concerns about traffic, the environmental impact and a lack of consultation.
The plan was later revised to preserve more than 75 per cent of the green belt, with most of the innovation hub to be built on a nearby residential plot, while maintaining a distance of more than 100 metres (328 feet) from Upper Baguio Villa.
The revised plan involves a site area of 40,000 square metres (430,000 sq ft) and a gross floor area of 190,000 square metres, with both representing a 15 per cent reduction from the previous proposal.