Take 1 minute and click here to complete the on-line support letter

Growing opposition to development of Repulse Bay Beach
In response to our campaign, 1,022 residents, members of the public, organisations and Southern District Councillors expressed opposition to changing the Seaview Building and the adjoining open space to a hotel. Details can be found under ‘Plan Making’, ‘Plans currently inviting comments’, ‘Shouson Hill and Repulse Bay’ on the Town Planning Board website www.tpb.gov.hk.

Support the residents' proposals TODAY. Deadline Jan 9, 2009.
Send a letter to the Town Planning Board (TPB) today to support the many proposals made by residents for fixing Beach Road and Repulse Bay Beach.
Click here for more information or visit www.designinghongkong.com


Summary: Problems with Beach Road and Repulse Bay Beach

= The Seaview Building has been underused and left empty for many years, however, demolition is not the solution and creates unnecessary construction waste;

= The public deserves quality public facilities unencumbered by private property rights. Selling the Seaview Building and adjacent open space to private developers will restrict the use of the site and increase the cost of available food, beverages and other services for beach goers;

= Half of Repulse Bay Beach has already been privatized by Emperor Group’s 180 metre-long, 166,000 sq ft glass-walled monolith and it still stands empty many years after closing down the Lido;

= Redeveloping the Seaview Building and open space, icons of Repulse Bay Beach, into a hotel will - together with the Lido redevelopment - create one continuous wall and turn Beach Road into an unpleasant canyon full of buses, noise and air pollution;

= Roads around Repulse Bay are already congested and there is no capacity for more commercial or hotel traffic; - The number of tour coaches is often beyond the capacity of Beach Road and traffic management is non-existent with buses double parking, stopping in the middle of road to off – load passengers, and waiting with idling engines;

= The coach/taxi drop-offs along Beach Road are on the opposite side from the beach, forcing visitors to cross the road and compete with traffic;

= The pedestrian connections with Repulse Bay Road are limited;

= There are several dilapidated and under-used public (Food and Hygiene Department) properties along the east side of Beach Road.

Summary: Proposed solutions for Beach Road and Repulse Bay Beach

= Retain the Seaview Building and adjacent open space, now used as car park, as public properties managed by the Government or a suitable NGO for the general public and enjoyment of the beach;

= Zone the area as “OU” (“Beach Related Leisure Use and Open Space”);

= Renovate the Seaview Building or offer long term leases to operators in return for fixing the building;

= Upgrade the open space but keep it free of structures to maintain a visual corridor to the sea, and an opening for air ventilation of Beach Road;

= Manage the traffic along Beach Road;

= Convert a section of the car park into a coach drop-off (after opening the new car park spaces in the Lido redevelopment);

= Limit tour coaches to the capacity of Repulse Bay, and ideally restrict Beach Road to residents and individual tourists arriving by public transport, taxis and private cars;

= Improve Beach Road for pedestrians with additional stairs to Repulse Bay Road, signalled crossings, traffic calming and improvements to the footpaths;

= Upgrade the public buildings (Food and Hygiene Department) on the east side of Beach Road and put these to better use;

= Open the Lido redevelopment, however restrict the use of the roof terrace to minimize noise pollution for nearby residents.

Click here to complete an on-line letter support letter – deadline Jan 9
http://www.designinghongkong.com/savetherepulsebaybeach/letter.html