jing feng p2 report / complex cities studio 2011

OPENING THE BESIEGED CITYExploring an Inclusive Development Strategy for Tin Shui Wai in Hong Kong

Graduation Thesis Plan / Jing Feng / 4122623 / Complex Cities Studio / Department of Urbanism / TU Delft / 01/2012

Photograph of Tin Shui Wai in Hong Kong (by HKAVMODE)

COLOPHON OPENING THE BESIEGED CITYExploring an Inclusive Development Strategy for Tin Shui Wai in Hong Kong

GRADUATION THESIS PLAN

Jing Feng4122623E-mail: [email protected]

First Mentor: QU Lei (Complex Cities)Second Mentor: Gregory Bracken (DSD)

Complex Cities StudioDepartment of Urbanism Faculty of Architecture TU Delft

Cover: Photograph of Tin Shui Wai in Hong Kong (by HKAVMODE)Date: 01/2012

Content

1. Introduction

2. Problem Statement 2.1 Hong Kong - Location 2.2 Hong Kong - Economy and Social Inequality 2.3 Hong Kong - Housing Problem 2.4 Public Housing in Hong Kong 2.5 Conclusion

3. Project Area - Tin Shui Wai 3.1 Besieged city 3.2 From ‘Besieged city’ to the ‘City of Misery’

4. Project Objective

5. Research question

6. Methodology

7. Final Product

8. Relevance

9. Literature Review

10. Vision 10.1 Regional scale 10.2 WNT scale 10.3 TSW scale

11. Reference

1

22461023

242430

32

34

35

38

38

40

48485874

92

1. Introduction A single mother lived with his son in Tin Shui Wai, a place called ‘Besieged City’ in Hong Kong. She worked in a local supermarket now. But, in the 1970s, she worked in a textile factory and supported her little brothers finishing their studies. With the dramatic socio-economic changes, now she had a hard life compared to her brothers. One day, she met a single living granny and helped her repairing television and changing the lamp. Then, it comes to the mid-autumn day, a special festival for Chinese family gathering together. So, the single mother, the son and the granny sitting together around the table, tasting the mooncake, watching the beautiful moon outside, and thinking about the past and future.

This is the simple but powerful and touching story in a movie called ‘The Way We Are’ by Ann Hui (fig.1). Tin Shui Wai, the so called ‘Besieged City’ in Hong Kong would be the study area of my graduation project. Tin Shui Wai is a place where public housing gathered, with many socio-spatial problems happening in recent years, the ‘Besieged City’ has became the ‘City of Misery’. So, my graduation project would explore an inclusive development strategy to open the ‘Besieged City’.

Fig. 1: Film shots from the movie ‘The way we are’. source: Google Image 1

NEW TERRITORIES

LANTAU ISLAND HONG KONG ISLAND

KOWLOON

10Km

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China (HKSAR)

IMPRESSION: Trade Port & International Financial MetropolisAREA: 1,104 km2 ( less than 25% of land developed)POPULATION: 7.1 million population (2010)POLITICAL SYSTEM: ‘one country, two systems’ policy since 1997

Fig. 3: The territory map of Hong Kong (left) shows Hong Kong consists of four parts: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territory and Lantau Island

General information of Hong Kong (right), source: Gov HK, 2011

Pearl River Delt a region

Hong Kong

Zhaoqing •

Macao香港 Hong Kong

深圳 Shenzhe n

惠州 Huizhou Dongguan

Guangzhou

佛山 Foshan •

Jiangmen •

中山 Zhongshan •

珠海 Zhuhai •

茂名Maomin g

湛江Zhanjian g

Yangjiang

Yunfu

Qingyuan

Shaogua n

河源Heyuan

梅州Meizho u

潮州Chaozhou

¶¬¿Y Shantou Jieyan g

汕尾 Shanwei

•

•

•

• •

•

0 10 50 100km

Fig. 5: The location of Hong Kong on different scales, from China (Left) to Greater Pearl River Delta region and PRD region (middle), then to Hong Kong -Shen Zhen (right).

Hong Kong

Shen Zhen

10km

2

Fig. 2: Hong Kong Skyline, source: google image,2011

2. Problem Statement

2.1 Hong Kong - Location Hong Kong is an important trade port and one of the leading international financial metropolis (fig.2), as well as a Special Ad-ministrative Region (HKSAR) (fig.3) in the south of China with ‘one country, two systems’ policy after the British-colony period. If com-pared the size of Hong Kong and Randstad (fig.4), it is obvious to found out that the population density of Hong Kong is extremely high, with almost the same amount of population living on 1/7 of the size of land.

After returning to China from Britain in 1997, the mainland China has become the most significant trading partner of Hong Kong. As a result, Hong Kong emphasized more and more economic develop-ment inside the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region in the past decades. Hong Kong would have more intense links inside the Greater PRD Region (fig.5) in the coming decades in the context of the evolu-tion of the PRD Region as a multi-centred city-region, especially focusing on the cooperation between Hong Kong and Shen Zhen (HK 2030, 2009).

Fig. 4: Hong Kong and Randstad comparison

Hong Kong Randstad

AREA: 1,104 km2 8,287 km2

POPULATION: 7.1 million 7.5 million

3

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2,000,000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

GDP

GDP

4,831

8,384 9,699 9,509

10,482 10,950

3,585 3,909

4,502 4,453

5,394 5,633

9,000

14,630

17,909 18,622 18,586

20,027

3,643

6,175 7,276 7,495

7,770 7,918

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2011

Cleaner

General worker

Fig. 7: Hong Kong GDP and Average salaries improvement 1990-2010,they showd that the GDP of HK doubled but the income of low class people hasn’t changed too much. Source: Censtatd HK, Made by T. Wen from DSD AT studio, 2011

1,186.6

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

20092010

1st

half

17.8%

17.2%

18.1% 18.2%

18.0%

17.8%

17.6%

17.4%

17.2%

17.0%

16.8%

16.6%

1,160.7

poverty

population

Poverty Population and Poverty Rate in Hong Kong, 2001-2010 1st half

poverty rate

pove

rty r

ate %

pove

rty p

opula

tion

(100

0) 1,260.0

1140

1180

1220

1260

1300

Sec on 1 : Food

Sec on 2 : Housing

Sec on 3 : Electricity, gas and water

Sec on 4 : Alcoholic drinks and tobacco

Sec on 5 : Clothing and footwear

Sec on 6 : Durable goods

Sec on 7 : Miscellaneous goods

Sec on 8 : Transport

Sec on 9 : Miscellaneous services

Average Monthly Household Expenditure (HK$)

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000

Fig. 8: Poverty population and poverty rate in Hong Kong 2001-2010 1st half, source: HKCSS, 2010 Fig. 9: Average monthly household expenditure shows Housing cost the most for HK residents Source: Censtatd HK, Made by T. Wen from DSD AT studio, 2011

4


Hong Kong is well known for the freest economy and low-tax shopping heaven with dense skyscrapers, however, the glass cur-tain walls not only reflect the dazzling modern life, but also conceal the hard life of many common people. The sharp comparison is shown in the diagram of Economy and Social Inequality (fig.6).

The GDP of Hong Kong doubled in the last two decades, however, the income of low class people hasn’t changed too much (fig.7). For example, the average salary of a administrative supervisor in-creased by 11,000 HK$, and the average salary increased by 4,000 HK$ for a general worker, but for a cleaner, it only increased by 2,000 HK$. In 2009, Hong Kong tops world rich-poor gap (fig.6). The number of population live in poverty increased from 1,186,600 in 2001 to 1,260,000 in 2010 which covers 18.1% of total population (fig.8).

Hong Kong, as one of the so-called global cities of finance and com-mand functions has become a spectacular island of wealth and privilege, especially speculative urban property market has be-come prime engines of capital accumulation (Harvey, 2005,p.157). The ever-growing housing price pushes the city to the top of the ranking list in property assets and rental fee in the world (Savills, 2011). As a result, housing cost covers the largest part of household expenditure (fig.9) and gradually becomes the heaviest burden on the shoulders of common people in Hong Kong.

2.2 Hong Kong - Economy and Social InequalityEconomyGDP per capita: HK$246,677 (2010) (13th in the world) (CIA, 2011)Free trade, Low taxation & Minimum government intervention

The world’s freest, most competitive & service-oriented economy(Gov HK,2011)

Social InequalityHong Kong tops World rich-poor gap (Cagape, 2009)

1,260,000 people live in poverty (18% of population)210,000 people live in inadequate housing100,000 households live in cagehome, cocklofts & cubicles (SoCO, 2010)

Fig. 6: Comparison of Economy and Social Inequality in Hong Kong (top) Hong Kong tops world rich-poor gap (bottom), source: Cagape, 2009

5

Fig. 10: Inadequate housing in Hong Kong, cubicle housing (a) and cage home (b) in Sham Shui Po (c) in the city center of HK. source: (a) and (b) from SOCo,2011

a

b c6

2.3 Hong Kong - Housing Problem For Hong Kong, Housing has always been one of the most crucial problems along the urbanization process. Because of lacking af-fordable housing in the property market for majority of inhabitants in Hong Kong, many people turned to public housing. However, public housing stock is far from the demand. That is the result of changes of public housing policy which will be illustrated in detail in next chapter. Moreover, there are about 210,000 people live in inadequate housing, and 100,000 households live in cage home, cocklofts and cubicles (fig.10)(SoCO, 2010). So, people demonstrat-ed on the street (fig.11), complaining that the government helps the real estate developer killing people. On 14 Oct 2011, the chief executive (fig.12) said housing solutions would be the first priority in the coming government policies.

The current housing problems is the outcome of complicated rela-tionships among the government (both colonial government and HKSAR government), property market, developers and urbanists. Their positions and relations changed in different periods of socio-economic development. It is not possible to illustrate the compli-cated relationships through the whole history in detail, however a general understanding of land use and the relation between land sale and property market would help to understand the current housing problem.

Fig. 12: Regonal Consultation Forum in Hong Kong, the Chief Executive noted that the housing solution would be the first priority in the coming government policies

source: Gov HK,2011

Fig.11.Protest in Hong Kong 2011, the signs said ‘we need more public housing’, ‘the real estate corporations are controlling HK and HK will die’, etc. source: Oriental Daily,2011

Fig. 10: Inadequate housing in Hong Kong, cubicle housing (a) and cage home (b) in Sham Shui Po (c) in the city center of HK. source: (a) and (b) from SOCo,2011


7

2. 31 Land Use Currently, only less than 25% of the land has been developed and 40% of the land is preserved as country parks and nature reserves (Gov HK, 2011). The land for residential use is only 72 km2 (fig.13). Because of the hilly terrain (fig.14), the solution to get more land is by terracing of hillslopes, reclamation of land from the sea and conversion of flat agricultural land (Pun, 1987:41), so land is precious and extremely ex-pensive in Hong Kong. As a result, most buildings in Hong Kong follows closely to the height limitation in order to make full use of the value of the land.

Since 1970s, development of nine new towns (fig.15) changed a large number of rural land into urban land. The aim of new town was to release the population pressure in city center with the concept of self-sufficient development. However, the principal impetus behind new town construction was public housing programme (Pun, 1987:42).

2.32 Land sale and Property market

‘ Virtually all land in Hong Kong is leased or otherwise held from the Government of the HKSAR’ (Landsd HK, 2005). The Land Tenure System followed the British rule before returning to China. Now, the new lease of land is granted for a term of 50 years (Landsd HK, 2005). Since 1855 when the colonial government was asked to earn money by them-selves, land sale has been an important revenue for the government. Later, land sale was closely connected with the boom of property mar-ket which was called ‘land (re)development regime’ (Tang,2008). Fig. 14: Hong Kong territory condition

Residential

Other Urban or

Built-up Land

Indu

stria

l

Com

mer

cial

Agr

icul

ture

Barr

enLa

nd

Wat

er

Bodi

es

Institu

tion/

Open

Space

Transportation

Woodland/Shrubland/

Grassland/Wetland

Class Area (sq.km)Residential 72Commercial 4Industrial 26Institution/Open Space 49Transportation 66Other Urban or Built-up Land 52Agriculture 68Woodland/Shrubland/Grassland/Wetland 740Barren Land 7Water Bodies 30TOTAL 1108

Fig. 13: Hong Kong Land usage distribution in 2010, Based on source: Pland HK,2010

8


Since 1968, property market was bound with stock market, the re-lationship between property market and land sale became more complicated and difficult to handle (Deng, 2008). Many Chinese-funded enterprises emerged and defeated foreign-funded enter-prises in this period mainly because of the development of proper-ty market. Some big Chinese-funded enterprises later monopolized the property market and became the dominant power of Hong Kong economy. Housing price in property market changed dramati-cally based on the land sale change by the government (fig.16).

As shown in the diagram (fig.17), on the one hand, the colonial government, due to subtle political reasons, didn’t want to disturb the prospering property market to gloom the future of Hong Kong, so the government and developer reached some agreement for profit; on the other hand, the property bubble was expanding day by day, so, public housing became a tool of government interven-tion to the property market.

Reviewing the public housing policy changes in the context of spe-cific socio-economic condition would help to clarify the complicat-ed urbanization process and understand the causality of housing problems.

0 10km

Tsuen Wan

Tuen Mun Sha Tin

Tai Po

Fanling/Sheung Shui

Tseung Kwan O

Tin Shui Wai

Tung Chung

Yuen Long

1973 New Town Plan

1979 New Town Plan

1980s New Town Plan

Fig. 15: New Town development in HK, Based on source: HK Pland

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Land Auction Premium

60,000

45,000

30,000

15,000

0 (million HK$)

51,244.48

32,349.67

Land Auction Area

1,000,000

750,000

500,000

250,000

0 (m2)

925,039

174,427

200

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0Property market

Fig. 16: Top: Housing price change in property market 1980-2011, source: Zarathustra,2011Middle: Land Auction Area 1985-2011, Bottom: Land Auction Premium1985-2011, source: Landsd HK,2011

Fig. 17: Housing problem relation scheme

9

Government

Real Estate Developer

Public Housing

New Town

Land sale

Economy growth

Design

Housing demand

Investment

Agreement

Revenue

Land control

Intervention

Urbanist

Marketcomplicated system with business cycle

Property market

Stock market

Urban settlementHong Kong

Main portCBDRoad Rail line

0 10km

Fig. 21: Abercrombie Report 1948, Source: Sit, 2001

Fig. 22: Urban development till 1954 Based on Source: Shelton, Karakiewicz & Kvan 2011; Leung 1971

10


2.4 Public Housing in Hong Kong2.41 History Public housing was constructed after the Shek Kip Mei squatter fire (fig.18) on Christmas Eve 1953. Since then, a series public hous-ing policy and construction came out through the urban develop-ment history. A detail illustration of socio-economic condition, ur-ban plan and public housing development would be shown based on five stages of housing policy development (Yung, 2007,p.125) as follows:

1) Pre-1954 (fig.19): Socio-economic conditionDuring this period, Hong Kong was mainly a transit port. The main urban development was Victoria city as the CBD of Hong Kong (fig.20). At the same period, many migrants from China mainland poured to Hong Kong because of WW II and China Civil War. So, urban squatting became a vexing issue (Dwyer 1970,p.609) Urban PlanIn 1948, Abercrombie made an urban plan (fig.21) for Hong Kong govern-ment. It suggested a large area of new residential zones in New Territory. But the plan was not fulfilled at last. The urban development area till 1954 is shown in Fig.22. Public HousingThere was no government intervention in housing, many people including migrants lived in squatters on the peripheral of the city (fig.23). ‘However, the government gave limited and indirect housing assistance to the low-er-middle- and middle-income households through the Housing Society’ (Yung, 2007,p.117)

WW II, China civil war

Transit port

No government intervention in housing

Squatter

Housing Societycivil organization supported by government

middleincome

Low-income& migrant

Housing assistance

Fig. 19: Socio-economic condition,Public housing policy & Housing relations Scheme till 1954

target grouphousing type

purposemarketinstitution

economy conditionsocial/political event

housing policy

Fig. 20: Victoria City of Hong Kong, Source: Google Image Fig. 23: Squatters of Tiu Keng Kowloon in 1952, Source: Google Image

Fig. 18: Shek Kei Mei squatter settlement Fire (left), Fire victims after the fire (right), Source: Google Image

11

Urban settlementHong Kong

Main portCBD

Production industry

Road Rail line

Reclamation area in Kwun TongDevelopment area in Tsuen Wan

PRH/TPS EstatesHOS/PSPS CourtsShopping Centers

Industrial area

Main port CBD

RoadRail line

Fig. 29: Public housing distribution in HK 1954-1972, Based on Source: HA, 2011

Fig. 26: Urban development and new industry area till 1972, Based on Source: Shelton, Karakiewicz & Kvan, 2011; Dawyer, 1971

Fig. 27: Reclamation 1946-1967 in Kwun Tong, Source: Ling,2011; Tsuen Wan district outline development plan in 1963, Source: Bristow,1989

0 10km

0 10km

12

2) 1954-1972 (fig.24): Socio-economic conditionIn this period, Hong Kong became an export-oriented light industrial city with new industrial areas (fig.25). The small business, from textile and clothing industry later to electronic industry greatly prospered the econ-omy condition in Hong Kong. On the social aspect, the Culture Revolution happened in China mainland influenced the atmosphere in Hong Kong. Some social riots against colonial government happened. Urban PlanSince 1954, Kwun Tong developed as a satellite town with new industrial areas (fig.26). In 1963, an outline plan was made to develop Tsuen Wan district (fig.27). In 1969, ‘Colony Outline Plan’ was made with five recom-mended plans of new town development, still giving priority to Tsuen Wan district. Public HousingBecause of the Shek Kip Mei fire, fire resettlements were built up for fire victims. However, the primary reason for fire resettlement was not home-less but economic. The relief cost for fire victims was the same amount with the cost to build a six-storey resettlement block (Drakakis-Smith 1979 in Yung 2007). So, public housing could be considered as an accidental out-come of an accidental fire. Later, ‘because the community can no longer afford to carry the fire risk, health risk and threat to public order and public prestige which squatter areas present’(Lai 1994,p.190-191), squatter re-settlements with low-cost housing program (fig.28) were built up. Moreo-ver, the government wanted to clear land for urban development, so only squatters occupying land urgently needed for planned development were resettled (Yung, 2007,p.118). So, in this period, the resettlement was mainly for urban development especially new industrial areas (fig.29) in order to keep social stability and economic growth.


Fig. 28: Lok Fu Resettlement housing in 1966 in Wong Tai Sin District of Kowloon, Source: Google ImageFig. 25: Factory Estate in Kwun Tung, Source: Hong Kong Place;

Culture Revolution in China Social roits Export-oriented light industrial citySmall business: Textile & Closing industry Electronic industry

resettlement programmelow-cost housing programme

Fire resettlement

Squatter resettlement

Clear land for development

residents of planned area

Colonial welfare state

SlabSingle/ Twin tower

Fig. 24: Socio-economic condition,Public housing policy, Housing relations & Public housing typology Scheme 1954-1972, Housing typology Source: Studio RE,2009




housing policy

13

Retail & CateringHong Kong

Main portCBD

Production industry

Highway Rail line MTR line Base Growth Areas (existing & committed development)

Strategic Growth AreasOther Potential Growth AreasNew HighwayNew Railway

PRH/TPS EstatesHOS/PSPS CourtsShopping Centersexistingnew town

MTR line

HighwayRail line


Fig. 33: New town development with new industry area till 1987, Based on Source: HK Place,2011 Fig. 32: Territorial Development Strategy (1984), Based on Source: Ling,2011

0 10km

0 10km

14

3) 1973-1986 (fig.30) : Socio-economic conditionDuring this period, diverse industry appeared in Hong Kong. Because of the Open Door Policy in China in 1978, labour intensive industry moved towards north and finally to PRD region in mainland China. The dominant force was technology intensive industry in new town areas (fig.31) and the emerging financial industry in the existing CBD area. Urban PlanThe New Town Programme, which complemented the Ten-year Housing Programme, was embarked on in 1973 (Pun, 1987,p.46). In 1984, ‘Territo-rial Development Strategy’ (fig.32) was made which mainly focused on the development of new town area with both residential and industrial use within the territory of Hong Kong (fig.33). However, due to the economic change, many industrial land use were changed to office and other use later. Public HousingWith the aim to stabilize social riots and promote economic growth, the colonial welfare state (Castells,2010,p.278) with a new governor started Ten-year Housing Program (fig.34) for the working class. In 1978, Home Ownership Scheme started the privatization process of public housing. Till this period, the public housing were mainly built up next to industrial areas (fig.35) to support industry growth, so working class benefited from these housing policies. Government’s intervention to housing was releasing the pressure of industry owners.


Fig. 31: Chai Wan Kok industrial area in Tsuen Wan, Source: Google Image Fig. 34: Low-cost rent home plan Kowloon, Source: Google Image

New colonial governorSocial Riots

Diverse industry in HK: Labour intensive industry Technology intensive industry Financial industry

1978: Open Door Policy in China

HOS Home Ownership SchemePrivate Sector Participation Scheme

Ten-year Housing Programme

Colonial welfare state

Public RentalHousing

Working class

Industrialization development

Economic GrowthSocial stability

Slab

Single/ Twin tower

Cruciform

Linear

YH




housing policy


15

Shen Zhen Shen Zhen

Chek Lap Kok Airport

Tonggu W

ater

Chan

nel

Tuen Mun West

Shekou

Hung Shui Kiu

Au Tau - Kam Tin

Tin Shui Wai

Yantian

Tsuen Wan/Kwai Tsing

North Lantau PortKowloon

Central Metro

East Lantau

Retail & CateringShen Zhen

Main portCBD

Rezoned industry for other use

Hong Kong

Production industry

Highway Rail line MTR line

Key activity nodePossible new activity node Mayor port facilities Port back up uses Strategic growth area Exising/planned transport corridor Possible new transport corridor Possible new marine channel

Shen Zhen

0 10km


MTR line

HighwayRail line


Fig. 39: Territorial Development Strategy Review (1996), Based on Source: Ling,2011Fig. 37: Rezoned industry area till 2002, Based on Source: Pland HK, 2006

0 10km

16

4) 1987-2002 (fig.36): Socio-economic conditionIn 1984, the agreement between China and British government cleared the rumors of the future of Hong Kong. This gave confidence to the econ-omy development. Hong Kong as one of the Four Asian Tigers, became one of the leading international financial centers in the 1980s. Most of the production industry has moved to PRD region. This resulted in a large number of rezoned industrial area (fig.37). Many industrial areas turned to office and other business areas (fig.38). But, the property market boomed till 1997, when the Asian Financial Crisis happened after Hong Kong re-turned to China. Urban PlanIn 1996, ‘Territorial Development Strategy Review’ (fig.39) was published. The most important part of this plan was putting Shen Zhen into the mas-terplan. Though connections between Shen Zhen and Hong Kong increased since 1978, the government realized the importance of those connections till the 1990s. Public HousingOn the one hand, government controlled land sale for high revenue, which indirectly raised the private housing price. On the other hand, Housing Au-thority provided Public Rental Housing to low-income People and subsi-dized housing sale to middle income people with Home Ownership Scheme (fig.40). This government intervention into property market couldn’t cool the over heated proper market. Speculation of housing happened not only in private housing but also in public housing. Property bubble began to expand till the Asian Economic Crisis in 1997, making hundreds of people became negative equity. During this period, the process of privatization of public housing sped up with a huge number of construction all over the territory (fig.41).

China British agreementHong Kong return ChinaAsian Economic Crisis

Decrease of production industryInternational Financial Center

Property and Tourism industry

The Long Term Housing Strategy SCHS/ FFSS/ BRO/ TPS/ MSS


Subdisizedhousing sale

Private housing

Controlledland sale

Housing Authority

High income

Speculation

Government

Lowincome

Middle income

Real estateHigh revenue

income

negative equity

Property bubble

Slab

LinearY

Harmony




housing policy

Fig. 38: Office Building of Millennium City in Kwun Tung, Source: Millennium City Fig. 40: Home Ownership Scheme Housing, Source: Google Image



17

Shen ZhenBao’An

Nan Shan

She Kou

Fu Tian

Luo Hu

Shen Zhen

Yuen LongIndustrial Estate

Tai PoIndustrial Estate

Hong KongScience Park

Tseung Kwan OIndustrial Estate

Innovation Centre

Retail & CateringShen Zhen

Main portCBD

Hong Kong

Production industry

Highway MTR line Cross boundary way

Border crossing point24 hour Cross boundary buses

Schematic Spatial ConceptsMetro coreNorthern development axisSouthern development axisCentral development axisRegional transport corridor

Recommended development patternNew development area (mixed use)Reinforcement area (residential)Reinforcement area (non-residential)Possible strategic highway by 2030Possible railway line by 2030

Shen Zhen

0 10km


MTR lineHighway

Cross boundary way

Border crossing point24 hour Cross boundary buses


Fig. 45: HK 2030 recommended development pattern (2007), Based on Source: HK 2030,2009Fig. 43: New industry area distribution till 2011, Based on Source: HKSTRC,2011

0 10km

18

5) 2002-2011 (fig.42): Socio-economic conditionNow, the main economic sector of Hong Kong is financial service, Trading and logis-tics, tourism and producer and professional service (Gov HK, 2011). In this period, on the PRD regional scale, Hong Kong - Shen Zhen city region is expected to be one of the three main cores. In Hong Kong, the main industrial estates (fig.43) focus on new technology and innovation industry (fig.44). The CBD area expands through the renewal of city center and provides a large number of service employments, from the highest level like administrative executive to the lowest level like cleaners. Urban PlanInfrastructure is well constructed till this moment, especially the efficiency MTR system has reached most part of urban settlement. In 2007, ‘Hong Kong 2030’ was published. ‘Hong Kong 2030’ suggested more links within the Greater PRD region, especially cooperation with Shen Zhen. The recommended development pattern (fig.45) focusing on three axes development: 1). Metro Development Core: Intensive commercial/business zones and housinfor urban-style living; 2).Central Development Axis: Community-type housing and education/knowledge-building facilities; 3).Southern Development Axis: Logistics and major tourism facilities; 4).Northern Development Axis: Non-intensive technology and business zones and other uses that capitalise on the strategic advantage of the boundary location. (HK 2030, 2009) Public HousingAfter the financial crisis in 1997, housing price continued decreasing till 2003. Gov-ernment decided to free the property market in order to boost property price. Housing policy changed to Big Market Small Government (HK 2030, 2009), which means that the government only focused on supplying land for developers and providing public rental housing only for low-income people. From this period on, public housing is still in construction (fig.46) in large amount in new towns (fig.47). However, it has detached from economic growth, but becomes a social burden. So, a new ideology of public housing forms in Hong Kong, together with new problems.

International Financial CenterFinancial servicesTrading and logisticsTourismProducer & professional services

Cooperation with PRD region

Big market small government

High revenue income

High housing price


Private housing

Supply land

Housing Authority

Highincome

GovernmentLow

income

Real estate

Boost property price

Concord




housing policy

Fig. 44: Hong Kong Science Park, Source: Google Image Fig. 47: Low-cost rent home plan Kowloon, Source: Google Image



19

Housing type in Hong Kong (Domestic Households, total 2,343,000 in 2011)

Public Permanent Housing (46.9%)

Private Permanent Housing (52.4%)

Private Temporary Housing (0.7%)

Public Temporary Housing (0%) Rental Flats (30.8%)

PRH & IH by HA

HA Hong Kong Housing AuthorityHS Hong Kong Housing Society

PRH Public Rental HousingIH Interim HousingSEN Senior Citizen Residences SchemeTPS Tenants Purchase SchemeHOS Home Ownership SchemePSPS Private Sector Participation SchemeMIHS Middle Income Housing SchemeBRO Buy or Rent Option SchemeMSS Mortgage Subsidy SchemeFFSS Flat-For-Sale SchemeSCHS Sandwich Class Housing Scheme

TPS,HOS,PSPS,MIHS,BRO,MSS by HA

Flats of Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation Limited

FFSS, SCHS by HS

PRH & SEN by HS

Subsidized Sale Flats (16.2%)

(All cleared in 2001)

Fig. 48: Housing type in HK, Based on source: HA,2011

This diagram shows the basic housing type in HK, basically, there are two types: Public housing and Private housing, then each type consists of temporary housing and permanent housing. HA (Hong Kong Housing Authority) is a government department in charge of public housing, HS (Hong Kong Housing Society) is a non-government organisation helping with some housing programs. At the beginning, there were only Public Rental Housing (PRH), later, a series of programs like HOS, TPS,help middle-income people purchas-ing their own house with a discount, it is called Subsidized Sales Flats. Then all the programs stopped because the dramatic change in economic and housing market. Right now, the government is only respon-sible to provide PRH for low-income people. However, some people propose to restart programs like HOS so that more people can buy their own houses.

0

40

80

120

160

2001/02

10897

152

2005/06 2010/11

No.

of L

ive

App

lican

ts (T

hous

ands

)

Fig. 49: Number of live applicants for public housing 2001-2011, the number of applicants increased dramatically because the extreme high housing price in market.

Based on source: HA, 2011

1998 2003 2011

(%)

Private housing52.3%

Public housing47.7%

50

55

45

Fig. 50: Distribution of Population by type of housing 1998-2011, it shows that more and more people live in private housing, partly because of the privatilization of public housing.

Based on source: HA, 2011

20

2.42 Current condition There are two main categories of housing type in Hong Kong: the public and the private (fig.48). In the public sector, there is a distinction between Public Rental Flats (PRH) and Subsidized Sale Flats. PRH is mainly for low-income people with mean-tested subject subsidies. Applicants usually have to wait 2-3 years for a PRH house, however the waiting time is get-ting longer in recent years. The number of applicants for public housing in-creased from 108,000 in 2001 to 152,000 in 2011 (fig.49). Subsidized Sale Flats is mainly for higher low-income people and middle-income people to buy their own houses, and many related housing policies, like HOS, TPS and PSPS, were launched to support the privatization of public housing.

According to the latest figure (fig.50), about 46.9% of the domestic house-holds live in public housing, which consist of 47.7% of total population. Due to the privatization of public housing, the proportion of population liv-ing in public housing decreased in the past decade. Moreover, the housing stock in the public sector increased far more less than in the private sec-tor, that 280,000 flats were added in the private sector in the past decade while only 73,000 flats increased in the public sector (fig.51).

Since 2002, the public expenditure on housing from the government de-creased (fig.52). From 2003, private housing price began to rise again, almost reach the price in 1997 when the property bubble broke down. People can’t afford to buy a house in the market, at the same time, hous-ing became a speculation tool attracting rich people from China mainland which again raise the housing price. Many people began to protest for af-fordable housing and more public housing. Currently, housing problem is the main root of social discontent in Hong Kong.

# Revised Estimate

05

1015202530354045

2000/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11 #Year

Publ

ic e

xpen

ditu

re o

n ho

usin

g_(H

K$

billi

on)

0

5

10

15

20

Public expenditure on housing As % of Total Public Expenditure

%

Fig. 52: Public expenditure on housing by government 2001-2011, Based on source: HA, 2011 it shows the government spend less money on public housing in recent years.

Fig. 51: Stock of major types of permanent residential flats 2001-2011, Based on source: HA, 2011 it shows the number of public housing increased much less than private housing.

356 374

708 653

1 4331 153

0200400600800

1000120014001600

Year

No.

of

flat

s (T

hous

ands

)_ Private Flats

HA PRH Flats

HA Subsidized Sale Flats

2001 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11


21

2.43 Housing Trend on the theoretical level There are differences between the housing systems of three welfare state regimes in western countries (Esping-Andersen,1990; Hoekstra, 2003,p.62) (fig.53). Through the history of Housing Policy, several trends are clearly shown in dominant power, target groups and housing types(fig.54). Though Hong Kong doesn’t belong to any of the welfare state regimes on the theoretical level, however according to the criteria, Hong Kong currently is heading for the Liberal welfare state which gives priority to market determination and concentrates mainly on low-income groups with mean-tested subject subsidies. The future of public housing in Hong Kong might be foreseen in the socially and spatially segregated and notorious neighborhoods in the United States.

It is important to realize that the purpose of Hong Kong govern-ment to build public housing was never for welfare like the Social-democratic welfare state regime, but always with hidden agenda of economic growth and control the land for further development. Also the target group of public housing was not low-income groups but low-income and middle-income workers who were the main force of economic development. The housing policy worked well in the past decades because the housing provision was based on existing employment, and people were grateful for the government although the original intention was not purely to give them hous-ing.

However, with the tremendous change in economic structure, the working class were no longer the main force of development,especially the low-income people without professional skill and knowledge are thrown into the fourth world (Castells, 2010)

where the worthless population disconnected with the network of valuable functions and people.

Dominant power

Housing type

Target groups Fire victims residents of

planned area working class low-income middle-income

low-income

Squatter resettlementlow-cost housing public rental housing

subsidized sale housing

Market

Pre - 1954 1954-1972 1972-1986 1987-2002 2002 - now

Government intervention (land and housing sale) Big market small government

Fig. 54: Housing policy trend in HK

After studying the public housing history in HK, several trends are clearly shown. The dominant power changed from market to government who has a great power over land and housing sale, then recently the government retreat as a land provider and leave the housing to the market. The target groups of public hous-ing also changed along the time, because it is never for the poor but for ones who can contribute to economic growth. But now, since the economics rely on the ones who don’t need public housing, so public housing became a kind of welfare for low-income people. Finally, the housing types changed with the residents. They showed vividly how public housing evolved with the socio-economic changes and the living condition of HK people.

Fig. 53: Differences between the housing systems of the welfare state regimes, Based on source: Hoekstra, 2003

Social-democraticlow

statef amily, NGO market

high,based onsocial status

high,based on income

Dominant power

housing objectives

subsidisation

price setting & regulation

housing allocation

organisation

housing provision

strict spatial planning

state takes initiative for new housing production

private sector (households,small companies) takes initiative

private sector (mainly big companies) takes initiative

moderate strict spatial planning

no strict spatial planning

on basis of need state intervention to correct marketcertain groups be favoured

market determination

market determinationregulated allocation in small part (reserve for low-income groups)

large scale production subsidiessubject subsidies for large target groups

mean-tested subject subsidiesfew production subsidies

universal high housing quality

state only support marginal groups

Corporatis iberalt L

22

Nowadays, public housing is no longer appreciated by citizens like before. Public housing became an excuse to send the worthless people to the remote New Towns. But due to socio-economic rea-sons, some new towns were not built up as the planned concept of self-sufficient and balanced development. Then some new towns became public housing clusters without basic living opportunities. Although, new towns were connected to city center by efficient MTR system, but for the large number of low-income people who lived in public rental housing, the expensive transportation fee be-came the barrier of getting a job in city center. Without a stable job, public housing problems finally resulted in social problems like crime and poverty.

On one hand, the housing problem of Hong Kong shouldn’t be con-sidered as merely lack of housing, but as an urban problem with urban issues like infrastructure, urban facilities and socio-economic life. The history of public housing in Hong Kong has already told us that purely building more housing would result in worse urban and social problems. So, the problem definition (fig.55) of housing problem in Hong Kong is lack of good living environment where people not only have housing, but a living. Since the target group of public housing is low-income people, the future plan for public housing should be how to provide good living environment for low-income people, a place where they can earn a living.

On the other hand, new towns of HK shouldn’t be constrained in simple urban spatial structure of HK center and New Town. The spatial position of new towns should be reflected on differ-ent scales: regional scale like PRD region and HK-SZ region; New town regions like West New Territory (WNT) and East New Ter-ritory (ENT); and the relation between different New towns. The potential of new towns on spatial structure of different scales would provide new development opportunities.

In the following chapters, this project would try to explore an inclusive development strategy in a public housing cluster - the new town of Tin Shui Wai (TSW).

2.5 Conclusion


Fig. 55: Problem definition of the project

23

Housing Problem (Lack of Housing)

Public housing clusters without living opportunities

InfrastructureUrban facilities

Socio-economic life...

Urban Problem (Lack of Living environment)

Public housing in New Town of HKProvide a living for low-income people

New Town in Urban Spatial structure

HK center - New Town

Regional scale: PRD region, HK-SZ

New Town region: WNT-ENT-NNT

Relation between New Towns

Fig. 56: the location of Tin Shui Wai in HK (top) and Yuen Long district (bottom)

Islands

Kwai Tsing

North

Sai Kung

Sha Tin

Tai Po

Tsuen Wan

Tuen Mun

Yuen Long

Kowloon City Kwun Tong

Sham Shui PoWong Tai Sin

Yau Tsim Mong

Central and WesternEastern

Southern

Wan Chai

10Km

Yuen Long

Tin Shui Wai

10Km

Fig. 58: Population by type of quarters in Tin Shui Wai, Based on source: Censtatd HK, 2006The figures shows TSW is a public housing cluster with 61.5% of households live in PRH, and 21.9% in SSF

Public Rental Flats61.5%

21.9%16.6%

Subsidized Sale Flats

Private Residential Flats

1980s 1992

Type of Quarters Households165,319

58,900 44,703268,922

24

Tin Shui Wai is one of the two new towns developed in the dis-trict of Yuen Long in the northwest of Hong Kong (fig.56). It has the highest density among all the new towns with nearly 300,000 peo-ple living on the area of 4.88 km2. The size of Tin Shui Wai is smaller than the city center of Amsterdam (fig.57), but the population den-sity is much higher. A large number of public housing clustered in Tin Shui Wai, 61.5% of population live in Public Rental Flats (fig.58), especially in the northern part, the proportion is 85%. Also 20% of population live on the subsidies from the government.

Tin Shui Wai is 25 km from the city center and developed from a fishing village in the late 1980s (fig.59). The development of TSW was prompted by real estate development and sped up by public housing policies (fig. 60). The government couldn’t launch other projects in this area partly because of a private agreement which was recently discovered by media between the government and the developer (Kwok, 2010). As a result, living expense is not cheap because most shopping malls are monopolized by big corporations. Right now, there is quite a few cheap consumption spaces for low-income residents.

3.1 The Besieged City

Fig. 59: Tin Shui Wai development, source: Google Image

Fig. 57: Tin Shui Wai and Amsterdam center comparison of size

1997 2005

3. Project Area - Tin Shui Wai

25

0 50 100 200m

MTR station in 2003

Light rail network in 2003

Hong Kong Wetland Park

Tin Shui Wai park

Tin Pak road park

Tin Shui road park

Tin

Sauroad

park

1992-93

Public Rental HousingSubdisized Sale HousingPrivate Housingrivermain roadMTR metro linelight rail line

1997-99 2000-03 2004-09 housing estatepark

Fig. 60: the development history of Tin Shui Wai

The map on the left shows construction period of different housing estates. The scheme on the right shows the changes of public housing policies which effect the development plan of TSW. It was started with private housing estate in the south part. Later, because of the changing public housing policies, more and more public housing were build up in a short period. From 1991 till 2008, 13.8% of the total production of public housing in HK were in TSW. Especially between 1999-2005, 21% of total public housing production happened in TSW. As a result, nearly 100,000 residents moved to TSW in the short 5 years time.

26

200 160 120 80 40 0 Property Market changesource:Also Sparch Analyst

1999-2005:

48,073 publichousing units

(21% of HK)

100,000 new residents

to TSW

1991-2008: 13.8% of total public housing production in HK was in TSW

1972.Ten-year Housing Programme (45,000 housing units/ year)1973.Housing Authority (HA) established

1961.The Government Low-cost Housing Programme was introduced

1982.Ten-year Housing Programme extended to 19871983.First Master Development Plan(MDP) for TSW submitted to be self-contained new town.

1987.Long Term Housing Strategy (40,000 public housing/year till 2001).

1994.Policy Address announced housing demand: 50,000 public housing/year till 2001.

1992.Population intake in TSW south.

2000.Population intake in TSW north. TSW south had a population of 187,000.

1997.Chief Executive announced 85,000 housing unit production per year.1998.Under TSW Outline Zoning Plan, the new town was plan for 350,000 people with 75% intended for public housing.

2003.Cessation of HOS and PSPS because of slump in property market.2004.100,000 residents in TSW

2011.Nearly 300,000 residents in TSW

1982.Agreement between the government and MCL was signed, the government bought land back in TSW and handed over 38.8 ha to MCL for development into a private housing estate and a commercial complex.

1979.Mightycity Company Limited(MCL) bought the land of TSW and proposed a new town project plan to the government1978.Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) started. 1979.Private Sector Participation Scheme (PSPS) started.

1970

1960

1950

1980

1990

2000

2010

Public Housing PolicyPlan and Development in TSWPublic housing production in TSW


27

Public Rental HousingPublic Sale HousingPrivate HousingGreen spaceRiverMain roadMTR rail way

0 50 100 200m


天盛苑 Tin Shing Court1999, HOS/PSPS SaleBlocks: 17Saleable Area of Flats (m2): 39 - 60No. of Flats: 6 580Sale Price (HK$):423,200 - 1,285,400

天富苑 Tin Fu Court2000, HOS/PSPS SaleBlocks: 16Saleable Area of Flats (m2): 47 - 60No. of Flats: 5 120Sale Price (HK$): 544,200 - 1,004,500

0 50 100 200m

Main roadMTR rail wayChurchMarket/ cooked food stall


Fig. 62: Housing estates in Tin Shui WaiFig. 61: Building Typology of Tin Shui Wai

28

Fig. 64: Tin Shui Wai overview, Photo by HKAVMODE

The building typology of Tin Shui Wai (fig.61)is very simple. There are 11 public rental housing estates, 6 subsidized sale hous-ing courts and 3 private estates (fig.62). A typology sample of public housing estates (fig.63) – over 40-story housing buildings, a primary school and a middle school with playgrounds, some have a service building and a sharing shopping center in the edge of the block – copying 15 times on the ground. Public transport station distributed averagely along the ring road which connects all the estates. Housing, in many cases, are connected directed to shop-ping center and station with skywalk which is a typical architec-ture structure in Hong Kong. The only variation is that a big park and most of the green space surround the private estate.

For the majority of the residents here, namely low-income people, expensive and inconvenient transportation trapped them in the periphery of Hong Kong, while inadequate job opportunities in Tin Shui Wai and surrounding new towns trapped them in the small public housing waiting for the subsidy from government to live on. So, Tin Shui Wai became a Besieged City (fig.64).

Housing

Primary school

Middle schoolPlayground

Service buildingPublic space

Shopping center

MTR StationLight rail stationBus stop

0 50 100 200m

Fig. 63: Typology sample of public housing estate


29

Fig. 65: Median household income in TSW and HK in 2001 & 2006, source: HKU SWSA,2009

Fig. 67: Age distribution in TSW and HK in 2006, source: HKU SWSA,2009Fig. 66: Birth place of residents of Tin Shui Wai and HK, source: HKU SWSA,2009

30

The situation got even worse in the past decade with more and more low-income people settled here, especially new migrants. The median household income in TSW is lower than in HK (fig.65), and the gap increased in recent years. The percentage of new migrants in TSW is higher than that of HK (fig.66), 36.6% of the population in TSW were born in China mainland. The unemploy-ment rate of TSW is 9.1% in 2006 (HKU SWSA,2009), the highest in HK. Moreover, the percentage of young population in TSW is quite large compared to HK (fig.67). Many young people couldn’t find a job nearby, so youth crime is particularly high in TSW. A film called ‘Besieged city’ (fig.68) just represented youth cirme happened in TSW.

Several shocking murders happened in Tin Shui Wai in the begin-ning of the new millennium and brought Tin Shui Wai to the spotlight of public media. Another film called ‘Night and Fog’ was made based on a true murder case in TSW (fig.68).Later, City of Misery was entitled to Tin Shui Wai because the high rate of pov-erty, unemployment, suicide and crime.

In 2003, the new MTR line extended to Tin Shui Wai, but it is still not a good deal to get a waitress or cleaner job in the city center with the long and expensive trip everyday. Many NGOs help the residents to release pressure. The government paid some budget for psychological assistance of the residents rather than any sub-stantial solutions. However, the future of TSW is still in the misery.

3.2 From the Besieged City to the ‘City of Misery’

Fig. 68: Left: film poster of ‘Night and Fog’, a movie based on a true murder case in Tin Shui Wai Right: film poster of ‘Besieged City’, a movie based on youth crimes happened in Tin Shui Wai,

Source: Google Image


31

WNT: YL-TM-TSW-(HSK)

Shen Zhen (SZ)

Hong Kong (HK)

0 5 10km

0 20 40km

Guang Dong (part)

Macao

Hong Kong

WNT (West New Territory)

YL district

YL

TM

TSW

HSK

TM district

0 50 100 200m


P

P

P

P

P

P

PP

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

MTR StationTin Shui Wai

Regional scaleHK-SZ

Bay Area scalePRD region (part)

WNT scaleTM-YL-TSW-HSK

TSW scale

Fig. 69: Different scales used in this project: left above: Bay area scale (part of PRD region) left below: Regional scale (HK and SZ) right above: West New Territory (WNT) scale (four new towns, TM in TM district, YL,TSW & HSK in YL district, HSK is a new development area) right below: TSW scale

32

4. Project Objective - ‘Opening the Besieged City’ Tin Shui Wai could be considered as a fourth world which is out of the network of the mainstream of Hong Kong as a global financial metropolis and deserted at the edge of the metropolitan area. However, from Urbanism views, it still has potentials on dif-ferent scales (fig. 69). Right now, the government is pushing a new development area called HSK next to TSW. With the big investment of infrastructure connection, WNT area would attract more devel-opment on regional scale in the coming future. Since the develop-ment plan of HSK is not decided yet, it is hard to say whether the new development could bring a bright future to TSW. Especially, the new development might hardly improve the living condition of low-income groups in TSW.

The basic idea of this project is to develop a development strategy that could benefit the low-income groups in TSW. The development strategy, as a supplement to the government’s plan, would follow the development trend of WNT area and make good use of nature and human resources in local environment. Unlike government’s plan which focusing on economic growth and large scale benefits, this development strategy will focus on the benefits low-income groups and small scale interventions.

The aim of the project is to improve the daily life quality of low-income groups, creating spatial opportunities for local economy development, promoting bicycle as a transportation mode to de-crease living cost and make good use of new public space to ben-efit low-income groups. The main problem of HK society is not economic development, but growing rich-poor gap. Improving the living condition of low-income groups would help to improve the society of HK. So, the other aim of this project is to call the atten-tion of planning department and our ever-developing society, don’t forget the ones behind and we can help them as long as you give priority to them.

4. Project Objective

33

5. Research QuestionMain research question:How to develop an inclusive development strategy that may benefit the low-income groups of TSW, a new town with deprived public housing communities in HK, in line with the regional development of HK-SZ ( differ-ent scales are shown in Fig.69)?

Sub-research questions:1) What are the problems of TSW within the public housing, socio-economic and spatial networks in HK? a. What are the public housing, socio-economic and spatial networks in HK on regional and metropolitan scale? b. What is the position of TSW in those networks?

2) What are the potentials for a development strategy that can benefit low-income groups in TSW on three scales: regional, WNT and TSW scale? a. On regional scale, what are the potentials of WNT area as a new connecting zone between HK and SZ? b. On WNT scale, what are the potentials to develop local economy for low-income groups? c. On TSW scale, what are the potentials for community development and how to make good use of potentials created on different scale?

3) What kind of spatial condition and urban management can socio-spatially realize the development strategy? a. How to empower low-income communities to realize the development plan? b. How to realize the development plan spatially in places like public space?

5. Research Question

34

6. MethodologyDifferent methods will be used to answer each sub-reasearch questions will be shown in a diagram within the time schedule framework (fig. 70), The theoritical framework of the whole graduation project is shown in fig.71. Here is the discription for detail methods:

For Sub- RQ1:-- Literature study: policy document, official statistics and maps, academic papers, professional books-- Mapping: HKscale: transport network, socio-economic & urban spatial structure, public housing policy & distribution. TSW scale: transport network, building typology analysis, service facility analysis.-- Site visit: experience Tin Shui Wai, interview residents

For Sub- RQ2:-- Literature study: policy document, official statistics and maps, academic papers-- Mapping: Regional scale: HK-SZ cross-boundary transport connection, HK-SZ urban structure, HK new town analysis WNT scale: transport / landscape / local service analysis TSW scale: local service analysis, public space analysis-- Space syntax: analysis on WNT scale

For Sub- RQ3:-- Reference Study for strategy and design interventions

6. Methodology

35

Fig. 70: Methodology scheme by Research Question in time schedule

Main RQSub-RQDetail Sub-RQMethodsProductEvaluation

P1

P2

P3

P4

P5

APR

MAY

JUN

JAN

OCT

Strategy (TSW scale)Design (TSW scale)

Thesis

Evaluation

Sub Research Question 1:What are the problems of TSW within the public housing, socio-economic and spatial networks in HK?

a. What are the public housing, socio-economic and spatial networks in HK on regional and metropolitan scale?b. What is the position of TSW in those networks?

a. On regional scale, what are the potentials of WNT area as a new connecting zone between HK and SZ?b. On WNT scale, how to develop local economy for low-income groups?c. On TSW scale, what are the potentials for community development and how to make good use of potentials created on all scales?

a. How to empower low-income communities to realize the development plan?b.How to realize the development plan in space like public space?

Literature studyMappingSite visit

Literature studyMapping

Space syntax

Reference Study

Sub Research Question 3:What kind of spatial condition and urban management can socio-spatially realize the development strategy?

Graduation

Problem statementThesis plan

Vision (regional/WNT/TSW scale)Strategy (regional/WNT scale)

36

Fig. 71: Theoritical framework of the graduation project

Thesis planTheory studyResearch questionsUrban analysisMethods & ToolFinal ProductEvaluation

Public housing welfare regimes in HK case

Transforming deprived public housing communities Community enpowerment

Problem statement

Urban Analysis

Theory Study

Project

Thesis PlanProject objectives

Final productResearch questions

Potentials & VisionContext & Problems Strategy & Design

Eval

uati

on

Theo

riti

cal F

ram

ewor

k

HK scale

History line & Current condition

Transport networkSocio-economic networkUrban spatial structurePublic housing network

Green networkGreen transport system

Cross-boundary commuterHK-SZ urban structureHK new town structure

Space syntaxSocio-economic condition

Transport networkLandscape

Local service

Transport network Local service

Housing typologyPublic space

Transport networkEconomic condition

Socio networkPublic housingService facility

TSW scale

Social mix strategy

Local economydevelopment strategy

Communitydevelopment strategy

Design intervention

WNT scaleTSW-YL-TSW-HSK

Regional scaleHK-SZ

Bay area scalePRD region

TSW scale

WNT scale

Regional scale

TSW scale

Methods & Tool Literature studyMapping / Site visit

Literature studyMapping / Space syntax Reference study

6. Methodology

37

7. Final Product 8. RelevanceThe final product would be an integrated development strategy for Tin Shui Wai includs:

-- A social mix strategy on regional scale-- A local economy development strategy on WNT scale-- A community development strategy on TSW scale-- Some design interventions on TSW scale

Social relevance“Some young people can’t afford to buy a house or a flat and they don’t have a place to

live. So it means they can’t get married. And public housing isn’t sufficient,” said Helen Yip, a clerk in her 40s who joined the march with three friends.

-- Kevin Drew, The New York Times, July 1, 2011

Housing problem is the main root of social discontent in Hong Kong. Unaffordable housing price and lacking of public housing increased so-cial inequality. However, the housing problem couldn’t be solved by purely building new housing, but without considering other urban is-sues like infrastructure, employment and social life. This lack of consid-eration resulted in public housing clusters like TSW and finally caused many social problems. So, the problem definition of housing is not lack of housing, but lack of good living environment where people not only have housing, but a living.

In cities like Hong Kong, poverty is not the problem of individual but because of the socio-economic system. This system couldn’t provide opportunities for poor people living a descent life through hard work. The existing public housing clusters like TSW are not helping the poor but pushing them into a more desperate and helpless condition. The public media called TSW the ‘Besieged City’ and ‘City of Misery’ be-cause of the murder cases happened in recent years. These titles made the impression of TSW even more misery in public eyes. This project will illustrate the causality of TSW problem and public housing prob-lem in HK. The residents of TSW are the victims of the socio-economic structure and public housing policy, so they shouldn’t be discriminated by the public. Instead, the government and the whole society should help them.

7. Final Product

38

On the social level, the improvement of TSW could decrease the rich-poor gap of HK and social discontent caused by social inequal-ity.

Academic relevanceTransforming deprived public housing communities is an interest-ing but hard issue in the academic field, not only in Urbanism, but also in sociology and economics. That is because this is a very prac-tical question covering the knowledge the different disciplines. The causality of those problems varies in specific areas due to socio-economic conditions. So, the solution of those problems would be based on local conditions. There are quite a few successful cases like Bijlmermeer in Amsterdam. However, the problems of deprived public housing communities are happening everywhere. Based on my limited research and reading, most of the studies were done in western cities. So, this project would be a new example of trans-forming deprived public housing communities. Moreover, it would add some study about public housing issues of Chinese cities to the body of knowledge in Urbanism.

Ethical relevanceThis project is searching for a method to integrate the low-income groups into the development plan and finally the low-income groups could get benefit from the development. Generally speak-ing, development plan in HK give priority to economic growth and large scale benefits, even to the interest of corporations and in-dividuals sometimes. As a result, low-income groups could hardly benefit from those developments. It doesn’t mean that the

government’s plans are wrong, but the government should con-cern the benefit of low-income groups more in the future. The main problem of HK society is not economic development, but growing rich-poor gap. Improving the living condition of the poor would help to improve the society of HK. So, this urbanism project, as an experiment, will try to figure out what will happen if develop-ment plan give priority to low-income groups? Will the benefits of low-income groups bring development on local scale? As urbanists, we can’t save the world, but we might do a little help to the people in hard condition as long as we can.

Studio relevanceMy graduation studio is Complex Cities studio, and I also attended another studio before P1 - Architecture Thinking studio of DSD which studied Hong Kong. Complex Cities studio aims to investi-gate spatial changes under the context of globalization and study the complexity of urban environment. This is exactly the condition I am facing in my project. These two studios helps me to define the complicated urban problems with sharp viewpoints. The meth-odology of Complex Cities studio is to formulate plans, strategies and designs as positive interventions to the project area with socio-economic and sustainable concerns. With the help of Complex Cit-ies studio in the future, I think I would finally submit a convincing and well-developed proposal as an inclusive development strategy to my project area - TSW, using urban solutions to solve existing urban problems.

8. Relevance

39

9. Literature ReviewTransforming deprived public housing

communitiesFrom housing and community development perspectives

Abstract –‘A central feature of recent economic restructuring is the development of new spatial patterns of unemployment and workless-ness throughout advanced industrial economies’ (North & Syrett, 2006, p.6). On the spatial term, it resulted in deprived public housing com-munities both in the city centres like the United States and in the new towns on the periphery of the city like UK and Hong Kong. Because these deprived public housing areas are cut off from spatial connec-tion, economic opportunities and social resources of the mainstream network, the residents there lost the opportunities to upward social mobility. The aim of this paper is to illustrate two types of theory that might bring light to the transformation of deprived public housing communities: housing solutions and community development strat-egy. The conclusion is that the combination of two theories on differ-ent scales might be a more comprehensive solution for the problem. Finally, if different experts could sit together, talk with local residents, encourage and help residents improving their living environment on different scales and perspectives, more valuable theory will come out in the future.

Key words – deprived public housing communities; de-concentra-tion; social mix; community development; public space; local economy development

Literature Review is the final result of the course Theory of Urbanism as part of the theory support of the gradua-tion project. The aim of literature review is to study some theories of one general research topic, and finally use the theories to convince the project and also contribute to the knowledge body of Urbanism.

The aim of this paper is to find some theories and methods to support my future vision and strategy. This paper helps me to formulate some basic directions of my graduation pro-ject.

40

9. Literature Review1 Introduction

Under the background of globalization and neoliberalism eco-nomic system, many cities in developed world emphasis on free economy, competitive environment and service-oriented development. As a result, ‘a central feature of recent econom-ic restructuring is the development of new spatial patterns of unemployment and worklessness throughout advanced indus-trial economies’ (North & Syrett, 2006, p.6). In the spatial term, the outcome is uneven geographical development, which is described as the ‘fourth world’ (Castells, 2010) where the low-income people without professional skill and knowledge are thrown into.

There are five causalities of urban poverty based on the theory of Bradshaw (2007): 1) poverty caused by individual deficien-cies; 2) poverty caused by cultural belief systems that support subcultures of poverty; 3) poverty caused by Economic, political and social distortions; 4) poverty caused by geographical dispari-ties; and 5) poverty caused by cumulative and cyclical interde-pendencies. ‘In some urban districts, the homogeneity of the housing stock has resulted in significant concentrations of low-income households and, indirectly, minority ethnic groups that are over-represented amongst the urban poor’ (Bolt, Phillips & Van Kempen, 2010, p.130). In this paper, the poverty prob-lems of deprived communities with public housing are caused by mainly socio-economic distortions or geographic disparities. In most cases, these deprived communities locate both in the city centres like the United States and in the new towns on the periphery of the city like UK and Hong Kong.

‘When socially deprived individuals and households live in the same neighbourhood, this clustering of poverty, unemploy-ment, and welfare dependency could create a local climate, a neighbourhood culture, generating attitudes and practices that would further deepen the social isolation of the local residents’ (Bolt, Burgers & van Kempen, 1998,p.86). Because these de-prived public housing areas are cut off from spatial connection, economic opportunities and social resources of the mainstream network, so the residents here lost the opportunities to upward social mobility.

The aim of this paper is to find some practical solutions to trans-form deprived public housing communities after a brief review of related theories and methods. It is a very complicated prob-lem that needs spatial, economic and social considerations. Also, it is a very practical problem that is strongly context based. So, there is no ready-made theories just for the topic, especially the one that could fit into my graduation project in the next step. However, after a broad range of literature review searching for a theory, I found two fields that bring light to deprived public

housing communities: social mix housing and community devel-opment, because they are more likely to be realized in my project area. Of course, there are also other fields that could contribute to the problem like spatial segregation, regional development, etc. This short paper could be the beginning of the big problem.

Following the introduction, two sections will be unfolded to il-lustrate theories and methods in: 1) housing solution in way of de-concentration and social mixing 2) community development in way of local economy development and social integration. In this paper, social integration will be discussed in terms of the need for public space.

In the last part, some evaluation of the above theories and meth-ods will be given in the conclusion part. Also, a recommended theoretical strategy will be shown for my graduation project. Fi-nally, several recommendations will be added to further reflect on the transformation of deprived public housing communities.

2 Housing solution

At first glance, the problems of deprived public housing commu-nities are housing problems. In other words, high rate of public housing with low-income people caused social-spatial problems. So, two kinds of housing solution came up following this logic, one is de-concentration, the other is social mixing.

Inspired by the classic work by Wilson who studied the inner city poverty concentration, development strategies and programs of ‘De-concentration’ of poverty appeared (Stal & Zuberi, 2010). De-concentration is to de-concentrating poor residents of de-prived communities to better developed areas. ‘In the US, Fed-erally sponsored de-concentration attempts to disperse poverty via two linked federal policy initiatives. First, through the demoli-tion of public housing and, second, through the use of housing vouchers intended to provide the displaced residents of public housing with greater economic opportunity through increased residential choice.’ (Crump, 2002, p.586). However, Crump (2002) argued that the strategies of these de-concentration programs were not for the interests of local residents of the deprived com-munities, but merely for the area’s economic benefits. There are also some other opponents (Goetz, 2003 cited by Stal & Zuberi, 2010) think that de-concentration programs should be used to promote local neighbourhoods and bring more chances to up-ward social mobility of local residents on local scale.

In European countries, ‘the creation of areas of mixed housing tenure, sometimes called ‘balanced communities’ became a popular strategic intervention to transform deprived communi-ties’ (Bolt, Phillips & Van Kempen, 2010, p.130).

41

Musterd and van Kempen (2007) argued that social mixing hous-ing strategy has the good wish that if there are diverse hous-ing types and residents from different social class, some affluent households would remain in these areas and bring more socio-economic dynamics. Strategic interventions to attract more af-fluent households may include demolition of some public rental housing, construction of higher quality housing and mixed ten-ure dwellings (Bolt, Phillips & Van Kempen, 2010).

After studying on collection of papers on social mix housing strategies, Bolt, Phillips & Van Kempen (2010) concluded that such social mix policies rarely reach the goal, because, ‘first, resi-dential mixing cannot be assumed to enhance community cohe-sion or people’s social capital. On the contrary, urban renewal policies have been found to disrupt communities. Displaced households experience difficulties in establishing new social ties. Second, tenure diversification does not always lead to more opportunities for a housing career within the neighbourhood’ (Bolt, Phillips & Van Kempen, 2010, p.132).

Both de-concentration and social mixing housing policies simpli-fied the complexity of deprived community problems as housing problem rather than urban problem. So, housing solutions alone couldn’t solve the problem of deprived communities. Moreo-ver, they are very effective in deflecting attention away from the main causes of the ‘urban problem’ (Bolt, Phillips & Van Kem-pen, 2010).

3 Community developmentAs mentioned in the introduction part, there are different cau-salities of urban poverty, so different anti-poverty programs in community development are implemented. For poverty types studied in this paper, several suggestions were made by Brad-shaw (2007) : 1). change the socio-economic system by grass-roots social movement, independent institution willing to help the poor and change the policies; 2). Build self-sustaining com-munities through good visioning and planning and create op-portunities for local resident. But, how to implement these sug-gestions in reality is a hard question for urbanists and planners. After some literature review, I found that there are two aspects that are more relevant for urbanism studies: local economy de-velopment and social integration by public space.

3.1 Local economy development‘If the global economy no longer provides at affordable prices then we increasingly have to refocus on how things can be done (with less energy input) at the local level—and, it is contended, rethinking what kind of consumption processes are realistic and appropriate for these circumstances’ (Atkinson, 2005, p.292). This is especially true for deprived communities. For the resident

of deprived communities, some might rely on government wel-fare subsidy, a stable job or economic opportunity in local or regional area might be the most crucial issue that can directly upgrade their living condition. Although employment and eco-nomic development are the central issue of policy initiatives to regenerate deprived neighbourhoods, but there are quite a few strong economic dimension in the current renewal projets, and this lack of consideration is seriously constraining the efficiency of current projects (North & Syrett, 2006).

For deprived communities, who lack of optimal combination of resources, how to make good use of existing and hidden assets through bottom-up approaches are crucial element for local economy development (Squazzoni, 2008). Following this staring point, there are several new ideas to think about local economy development in deprived areas.

One idea is the reconsideration of marketplace. Burkett (2011) argued that, people normally had a binary interpretation of the markets that people living in poverty access, as shown in Illus-tration 1. It means residents of deprived communities either get goods and service for free or funded, or they access from fully commercialized providers. However, Burkett suggested that there is a broader spectrum of ‘marketplaces’ that people can potentially access – that is, places and spaces where people are able to access goods and services that they need to survive. If people would develop the potential marketplaces like mutual aid market, family market, informal market and social market shown in Illustration 2, there would be much more opportunities and spaces that can contribute to the development of deprived com-munities and finally improve the living quality of local residents.

Illustration 1. Binary interpretation of the markets that people living in poverty access. source: (Burkett, 2011)

42

9. Literature ReviewOn the regional level, ‘the challenge is to extend the market area beyond the local arena, or to focus on people who will bring money into the area (tourists)’ (Marais & Botes, 2007, p.391). For example, industry area disappeared or decayed in some de-veloped areas, tourism might become a new development po-tential if it has good natural or cultural resources, and this will bring new opportunities to local residents, especially for peo-ple without professional skills and knowledge to work in other areas. The important thing here is to reveal the potentials on regional scale and surrounding areas that could make direct con-nections to the resident of deprived communities. This could be implemented by both big projects and small interventions.

3.2 Social integration by Public spaceIf local economy development could improve the living condi-tion of low-income groups by material revenue, then social inte-gration will improve the quality of their social life through more communication and connection to the outside world.

In the project called ‘promoting the mobilization of low-income people to reduce and eliminate poverty’ in Canadian cities, sev-eral recommendations were listed. The first recommendation is to ‘Provide opportunities and spaces for people living in pov-erty to come together, and name, explore, and address issues’. Shared community spaces are strongly needed from the partici-pants. This includes a range of physical spaces: gathering places, artistic places or ‘cultural sanctuaries’, recreation places (includ-ing lower priced recreation centres, access to local schools in summer, and bike lanes), green space and community gardens (with sheds and bathrooms), and places for children (Ravensber-gen & VanderPlaat, 2009, p.398).

Public space in deprived communities could contribute to the regeneration of deprived communities in several terms, like the space for social communication, the space for local economy development, and the space for leisure activities with nice land-scape.

‘As Jacobs (1961) long ago emphasized, specific physical char-acteristics of streets and land uses (e.g. relatively dense, mixed use spaces) can bring together people engaged in a diversity of activities at all hours of the day and night. This, in turn, creates a safe and pleasurable environment, which functions, on the one hand, to reproduce existing social relations and facilitate com-munity bonding and, on the other hand, to create the conditions to support local economic activity. As such, the economic poten-tial of public space is entwined with and may even be dependent on social and environmental features’ (Grodach, 2009, p.477).

Illustration 2. A more complex understanding of the many different ‘marketplac-es’ with which people living in poverty engage. source: (Burkett, 2011)

The sencond idea is to develop local economy on different spatial levels. North & Syrett (2006) noted that it is the central concern to effectively linked deprived areas into the process of economic growth, that the interventions should best operate on different spatial levels.

On the neighbourhood level, although economic initiatives are not able to create large scale employment opportunities, how-ever, some bottom-up initiatives could develop local capacities, encourage mutual aid and self-help on community and individ-ual scale, and finally promote the quality of quality of everyday life, social inclusion and political participation (North & Syrett, 2006).

‘The poor people are experts in making the most of scarce re-sources under adverse circumstances, and have always used in-stitutions of mutual support and risk- sharing in order to do so [...] Self-help approaches can and should be part of strategies to tackle exploitation and marginalization … to accessible public services and the redistribution of income and wealth’ (Berner & Phillips, 2005,p.19, 27). The failure of some top-down inter-ventions by the government might because the real need of local poor residents is never the first priority but behind other socio-economic interests. However, self-help will not be realized by their own because community is neither ‘havens of coopera-tion’ nor ‘homogeneous’ group (Berner & Phillips, 2005, p.27) but a complicated urban area. So, the guide and suggestions from both public sector and private sector, like the government, NGOs, and independent organizations, would help to realize self-help programs.

43

‘When public spaces are successful [...] they will increase op-portunities to participate in communal activity. This fellowship in the open nurtures the growth of public life, which is stunted by the social isolation of ghettos and suburbs. In the parks, pla-zas, markets, waterfronts, and natural areas of our cities, people from different cultural groups can come together in a supportive context of mutual enjoyment. As these experiences are repeat-ed, public spaces become vessels to carry positive communal meanings’ (Carr, Francis, Rivlin & Stone, 1993, p. 344).

So, if the public space in deprived communities can develop into a place with lively social and economic activities. It will greatly improve the living environment of the whole area and even be-came a precious value to attract other people. Finally, it could promote the social integration of deprived communities into larger urban area.

4 ConclusionsTransforming deprived public housing community is a complicat-ed and practical issue. It needs varieties of research disciplines and studying fields both in theory and practice. So, it is impor-tant to realize that the problems will not be solved by a solution within one studying field, but need interdisciplinary coopera-tion. As illustrated in this short paper, after a limited literature review, the theory of housing solution and community develop-ment might bring light to the transformation of deprived public housing communities. Illustration 3 shows the basic finding of this paper. It will be illustrated in the next paragraph.

Illustration 3. Theories and methods of Transforming deprived public housing communities illustrated in the paper.

Housing solutions, evolved from sociology studies, derived from de-concentration of poverty in the United States to social mix housing strategies in Europe. Till now, it is still a popular devel-opment strategy in urban regeneration project. There seems no doubt in the research field that social mix is the right goal to achieve. Social mix means communities built up with public housing at a proper rate and residents with different socio-eco-nomic background and ethnics. Indeed, social mix could bring more diversity and dynamic to the neighbourhoods. But, will so-cial mix solve the basic living problems of poor residents who are eager to find a job and find someone to talk in the time of eco-nomic recession? As mentioned above, to some extent, housing solutions are deflecting attention away from the main causes of the ‘urban problem’. Generally speaking, housing solutions are top-down projects on a higher level and the aim is not to help the real poor. So, some other strategies should concentrate help the poor residents on a lower level. For example, urban strategy could be community development.

Kotval (2006, p.87) argues that the goal of community planning is to ‘create a better physical, social and economic environment for communities and the people that invest their social and eco-nomic capital in a place’. There are many ways for community development, and two aspects are more relevant for urbanism studies: local economy development and social integration by public space. Several new ideas in local economy development brought new light to deprived communities. First, the broader definition of market place, including mutual aid market, informal market, social market, would bring more life chances to poor residents who need cheap consumption. Second, different levels of spatial interventions should coordinate to achieve economic development. On the neighbourhood level, bottom-up initia-tives, like self help programs, would not only create employment and additional sources of income, but also build social networks, local participation and cooperation, and develop community and individual capacities. On the regional level, links to regional context should be built up. For example, attracting people who will bring money to the area, like tourists.

For many socially segregated residents of deprived communi-ties, social integration will improve the quality of their social life through more communication and connection to the outside world. This could happened in public space, where enables lively social and economic activities.

Illustration 4 shows the recommendation strategy for transform-ing deprived public housing communities: the combination of housing solution by more top-down approaches on larger scale and community development by more bottom-up approaches on local scale. These two methods should compensate and

44

Illustration 4.Recommended strategy for transforming deprived public housing communities.

promote each other. Finally this recommended strategy would become a more comprehensive theoretical solution for my graduation project. Under the context of social mix with diverse socio-economic sources on larger scale, local economy develop-ment and social integration could promote each other on local scale in the process of development.

Since most of the theories available are under the context of western cities. It is still a question whether these theories and methods could be directly used in other areas, especially Chi-nese cities. However, the basic concept of these theories should have a universal meaning that only by giving priority to the needs of local residents during the development process, can the prob-lems of deprived public housing communities be solved on root.

5 RecommendationsThrough the limited reading, it is quite a pity to find that, soci-ology researchers have great ideas to development communi-ties but constrained on the spatial level; urbanists have strong spatial analysis but lack of small but smart ideas; policy makers have ambitious plan for economic development but forget the poor people. If different experts could sit together, talk with lo-cal residents, encourage and help them improve their living en-vironment from different scales and perspectives, maybe in the future, more valuable and strong theory and methods will come out in the knowledge body of urbanism.

Bibliography

ATKINSON, A., 2005, Urban development: reviving and activating Utopian strategies, City, Vol.9, No.3, 279-295. Retrieved Nov, 2011, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13604810500392548BERNER, E., & PHILLIPS, B., 2005, Left to their own devices? Community self-help between alternative development and neo-liberalism. Community Development Journal, Vol 40 No 1, pp. 17-29. Retrieved Dec,2011, from Oxford Journals databaseBOLT, G., BURGERS, J., & VAN KEMPEN, R., 1998, On the social significance of spatial location; spatial segregation and social inclusion. Housing and the Built Environment, Vol.13, No.1. 83-95BOLT,G., PHILLIPS, D.& VAN KEMPEN, R., 2010, Housing Policy, (De)segregation and Social Mixing: An International Perspective, Housing Studies, 25:2, 129- 135. Retrieved Nov, 2011, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02673030903564838BRADSHAW,T.D., 2007, Theories of poverty and anti-poverty programs in community development. Community Development Journal, Vol 38 No 1, pp. 7–25. Retrieved Jan, 2012, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15575330709490182BURKETT, I., 2011, Organizing in the new marketplace: contradictions and opportunities for community development organizations in the ashes of neoliberalism. Community Development Journal, Vol 46 No S2, pp. ii111–ii127. Retrieved Dec, 2011, from Oxford Journals databaseCARR, S., FRANCIS, M., RIVLIN, L.G., & STONE, A.M., 1993, Public Space. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressCASTELLS, M., 2010, The information age: economy, society and culture Volume III End of millennium. UK: Willey – BlackwellCRUMP, J., 2002, De-concentration by demolition: public housing, poverty, and urban policy. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 2002, volume 20, pp.581-596. Retrieved Nov, 2011, from Taylor & Francis online databaseGRODACH, C., 2009, Art spaces, public space, and the link to community development. Community Development Journal, Vol 45 No 4, pp. 474–493. Retrieved Nov, 2011, from Oxford Journals databaseJACOBS, J., 1961, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Vintage, New York.KOTVAL, Z., 2006, The link between community development practice and theory: intuitive or irrelevant? A case study of New Britain, Connecticut. Community Development Journal, Vol 41 No 1, pp. 75-88. Retrieved Dec, 2011, from Oxford Journals databaseMARAIS, L. & BOTES, L., 2007, Income generation, local economic development and community development: paying the price for lacking business skills? Community Development Journal, Vol 42 No 3, pp. 379-395. Retrieved Dec, 2011, from Oxford Journals databaseMUSTERD, S. & VAN KEMPEN, R., 2007, Trapped or on the springboard? Housing careers in large housing estates in European Cities, Journal of Urban Affairs, 29(3), pp. 311–329.NORTH, D. & SYRETT, S., 2006, The dynamics of local economies and Deprived Neighborhoods. London: Department for Communities and Local Government RAVENSBERGEN, F., & VANDER PLAAT, M., 2009, Barriers to citizen participation: the missing voices of people living with low income. Community Development Journal, Vol 45 No 4, pp. 389–403. Retrieved Dec, 2011, from Oxford Journals databaseRAVENSBERGEN, F., & VANDER PLAAT, M., 2009, Barriers to citizen participation: the missing voices of people living with low income. Community Development Journal, Vol 45 No 4, pp. 389–403. Retrieved Dec, 2011, from Oxford Journals databaseSQUAZZONI, F., 2009, Local economic development initiatives from the bottom-up: the role of community development corporations. Community Development Journal, Vol 44 No 4, pp. 500-514. Retrieved Dec, 2011, from Oxford Journals databaseSTAL, G.Y., & ZUBERI, D.M., 2010, Ending the cycle of poverty through socio-economic integration: A comparison of Moving to Opportunity (MTO) in the United States and the Bijlmermeer Revival Project in the Netherlands. Cities 27 (2010) pp.3–12.Retrieved Nov, 2011, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264275109001115


45

low-income

middle-income

high-income

corporation

macro economy

Housing solution

Regional scaleECONOMIC BENEFIT

SOCIAL MIX

IMPROVINGLIVING ENVIRONMENTOF LOCAL RESIDENTS

Local scale

Community development

+

PUBLIC SPACE

LOCAL ECONOMYDEVELOPMENT

SOCIAL INTEGRATION

GREEN SPACE

new marketplaces

new service places

park,square

riverfront lively street

gatheringplaces

recreationplaces

recreationplaces

mutual aid market

bicycle lane and network

sports

cultrualplaces

children’splaygroundcommunity

garden

Fig. 72: Conclusion from literature review

Fig. 73: The function of public space in this project

46


Theory support for the project

The conclustion of literature review (fig.72) will guide the direction of the project and make theory support to the project. The theory study suggests that the combination of Housing solution on the re-gional scale and community development on the local scale will be a comprehensive solution for the project.

On the regional scale - the HK-SZ scale, more high-income people could be attracted to WNT area by the development chance of HSK. On the local scale - the WNT scale and TSW scale, community de-velopment would improve the living condition of local residents. This will include local economy development and social integra-tion. And public space (fig.73) will be the spatial condition to real-ize it. Public space will be the place where different socio-economic and leisure activities could happen.

The detail of vision will be illustated in the next part.

47

10.1 Regional Scale

Bay Area ScaleThe Planning Department of Hong Kong, Guang Dong and Macao published ‘Study on the Action Plan for the Bay Area of the Pearl River Estuary’ (fig.72) in Jan 2011. The Bay Area (fig.73) is part of PRD region with areas just next to the Pearl River Delta. This study shows that the government is taking action to realize more devel-opments on regional scale.By studying a series of planning maps, the position of WNT area in the Bay Area is shown clearly.

On the Green Network plan (fig.74), WNT area is on the Bay Area Greenway with a large area of Green Buffer zone because of its good natural environment and the wetland park of Hong Kong. While on another plan (fig.75), this area is consider to be a World-class ‘City Hallways’ in the future with the new development in HSK. On the transport level, WNT area is planned to be a Green Transport area (fig.76) which means giving priority to public and non-motorized transport. Moreover, the cross-boundary connections between HK and SZ (fig.74) will be more comprehensive in the future. It will be explained in detail on HK - SZ scale in next chapter.

Generally speaking, on the Bay Area scale, the position of WNT area is quite clear. The potential of WNT area is green environment and convenient connection to SZ as well as to other Bay areas.

Fig. 72: Bay area of the Pearl River Estuary Action Plan by the Planning Department of HK, Guang Dong & Macao, 01/2011. Source: PRD Bay, 2011

Fig. 73: Bay area scale and location of WNT on this scale

0 20 40km

Guang Dong (part)

Macao

Hong Kong

WNT (West New Territory)

48

World-class ‘City Hallways Public open space

Green transport area: Priority of Public and non-motorized transport HK-SZ cross boundary connections: Western Express line GZ-SZ-HK Express rail line East /West rail + Northern link Highway

Fig. 74: Green Network of Bay Area,Source: PRD Bay, 2011 Fig. 75: World-class ‘City Hallways’ of Bay Area,Source: PRD Bay, 2011

Fig. 76: Green Transport System of Bay Area, Source: PRD Bay, 2011 Fig. 77: Cross boundary Transport System of Bay Area, Source: PRD Bay, 2011

10. Vision

49

0 5 10km

existing rail/metro lineexisting light rail lineplanned rail/metro linemain roadplanned roadHKSZYL-TM-TSW-HSKexisting railway stationplanned railway stationairportharborcrossing pointnew crossing pointMTR stationnew MTR station-HSKpointed MTR station

Shenzhen Bay Port

Airport

Sha TinTsuen Wan

TM

TSWYL

HSK

Lok Ma Chau

Kwun TongYau Ma Tei

Central

GZ-SZ-HK Express Rail line

SZ-HK Western Express line

Northern Link

to Zhongshan

to Guangzhou

to Conghua

to Huizhou

to Dayawan

to Dayawan

to Shantou

Beijing-Guangdong rail line


$$$$$$

$$

$$$

$$$$

$$

$$$

$$$

$$

$$ $

$

MTR from TSW, 10 minBus from TSW, 10min10 HK$

Time and cost on regional scale

Fig. 78: Inter-city transport between HK - SZ and Inner-city transport from TSW in HK

50

10. Vision

HK - SZ Scale: TransportThe connection and cooperation between HK and SZ are getting more and more intensive since the Open Door Policy in 1978, es-pecially after 1997 when HK returned China. In recent years, some people presumed that in the future, these two cities might emerge into one metropolitan.

As shown in fig.78, more inter-city connection are planned: besides highway connections, GZ-SZ-HK Express rail line will shorten the traveling time enormously between the three cities; Western Ex-press Line will connect the airport of SZ and HK directly with a stop in HSK, by then there might be a new MTR station in HSK and a new crossing border point nearby; moreover, the existing MTR line of East rail and West rail will be connected by Norther link, right now only West rail is directly connected with the main crossing-point to SZ, so it means in the future, West rail can also directly connected to SZ.

However, the inner-city transport from TSW to other parts of HK is both time and money consuming compare to the connection to SZ. So, the conclusion is WNT area will be the new connecting zone between HK and SZ. For WNT area, it should take advantage of its geographical location as a boundary as well as a middle-point be-tween two cities.

51

Fig. 79: Cross-boundary trend figure, source: Northbound Southbound 2009 Top: ‘Averagy daily number of cross-boundary passenger trips’ shows that the number of trips increased dramatically in the last decade. Middle: ‘Number of passenger trips by usual place of residence’ shows that cross-boundary passengers increased. In 2009, a large part of passengers are people living in HK (69%), visitors from the mainland (18%) and HK residents living in mainland (10%). Bottom: ‘Number of passenger trips made by visitors from the mainland by trip ends in the mainland’ shows that mainland visitors increased a lot in recent years, especially visitors from SZ, the number of SZ visitors reaches nearly 41,000 which covers 42% of total mainland visitors in 2009.

Fig. 80: Trip purpose to HK, source: Northbound Southbound 2009 Top: ‘ Number of passenger trips made by visitors from the mainland by trip purpose to HK’ shows most of the mainland visitors come to HK for leisure. Bottom: ‘ Number of passenger trips made by HK residents living in main land by trip purpose to HK’ shows that for HK residents who live in the mainland, they come to HK mainly for work, and also school and leisure.

52

HK - SZ Scale: Cross-boundary trendSince Hong Kong is still under the political policy of ‘One Country Two Systems’, there are some crossing-points between HK and SZ. Both HK residents and other Chinese need special document to cross the boundary. In recent years, some policies in favor of tourism in HK sped up the cross-boundary procedure. As shown in fig.79, the number of passenger trips increased enormously in the past decade, and a large part of passengers are people living in HK, followed by mainland visitors and HK residents living in mainland. It also shows that a large part of mainland visitors are from SZ and number is increasing every year.

For HK residents living in the mainland, the trip purpose to HK (fig.80) is mainly for work, and some for schooling and leisure. They live in mainland because of cheap housing, better living en-vironment and cheaper living cost. For mainland visitors especially visitors from SZ, the trip purpose to HK (fig.80) is mostly for lei-sure. They would go shopping for low-tax product like electronics, clothing and cosmetics, and high-quality product that are hard to trust in the mainland like milk powder. They would also do the tour-ist things to fancy sightseeing or natrual environment. In the past, housewives in TSW would go to SZ for cheap daily stuff like other HK residents, however, since 2010, more and more housewives of SZ began to buy daily stuff in HK because the inflation in the main-land and the depreciation of HK$.

The relationship between HK and SZ is very interesting and sub-tle. They are so close but so different. The residents of the two cities are clever enough to take advantage of each city.

So, for WNT area, how to make make good use of the differentia-tion of the two cities, and how to attract commuters between the two cities as well as citizens from the two cities are all great potentials for future development.

Fig. 81: Housewife of SZ shopping in HK, source: Chinacity.org.cn,2011

10. Vision

53

0 5 10km

Bao’An

Nan Shan

She Kou

Fu Tian

Luo Hu

WNT: YL-TM-TSW-(HSK) ENT: Sha Tin-Dai Po

Metro Core

NNT

HK 2030 Schematic Spatial Concepts

Existing urban structure

Metro coreNorthern development axisSouthern development axisCentral development axis

HKSZWNT (West New Territory)NNT (North New Territory)ENT (East New Territory)other urban area in HKIndustrial estate

New development area (mixed use)

existing rail/metro lineplanned rail/metro lineexisting railway stationplanned railway stationairportharborcrossing point

Fig. 82: Urban structure of HK-SZ

54

Fig. 83: The comparison of WNT and ENT, existing condition (left) and future (right)

Fig. 84: Sha Tin town plan, source: Shatin.hk ,2011 Fig. 85: Mo On Shan satellite map, source: MOS.hk ,2011

HK - SZ Scale: Urban structureThe existing urban structure of HK-SZ is shown in fig. 82, three de-velopment axis in New Territory (NT) will release some pressure of the Metro Core in the future. All these three axes are developed as new towns. ENT is considered to be a successful new town area by many HK citizens. ENT consists of Sha Tin (fig. 84), the most suc-cessful new town in HK; Tai Po, which has a legal dawn market to help elderly people earn some living; and Mo On Shan (fig. 85), mainly a residential area like TSW and was transformed from a mine area. The construction time of the new towns in both ENT and WNT are quite the same, and the spatial relationships between the new towns are also similar. However, after several decades of development, they are in totally different condition.

Compared to WNT, the successful elements of ENT might be: 1) direct connection to SZ and HK metro core by MTR line (fig. 83); 2) good natrual environment and used to be a popular excursion area for HK citizen; 3) well-developed pedestrian and bicycle network; 4) regional shopping centre near MTR station which attract a lot of SZ citizens; and 5) appropriate proportion of private and public housing, with a large number of middle-class residents.

The government must also realize the huge difference between WNT and ENT, so they propose a series of infrastructure construc-tion on regional scale in the coming future. The direct connection of East rail line to both SZ and HK core might be the basic stone for

the development of ENT. In the coming future, with the new con-nection route in WNT (fig. 83), WNT area would be on the right track to follow the successful road of ENT. However, besides infra-structure connection, WNT area should also focus on building good living environment to attract diverse residents and exploring other development potentials.

The success of new towns would help to restructure the urban structure of Hong Kong. WNT area has the potential to develop into a new centre both in Hong Kong and HK-SZ in the future.


ENT: ST-DP- MOS

Metro Core

Tuen Mun

Sha Tin

Ma On Shan

Tai Po Tin Shui WaiYuen Long

1973 New Town Plan

1979 New Town Plan

1980s New Town Plan


ENT: ST-DP- MOS

Metro Core

Tuen Mun

Hong Shui Kiu

Sha Tin

Ma On Shan

Tai Po Tin Shui Wai

Yuen Long

10. Vision

55

existing rail/metro lineplanned rail/metro lineplanned roadHKSZYL-TM-TSWnew development area: HSKexisting railway stationplanned railway stationairportharborcrossing pointnew crossing pointnew MTR station- HSK

connection

living & leisure zone

0 5 10km

Shenzhen Bay Port

new MTR station - HSK

new crossing point

TSWYL

TM

HSK

Lok Ma Chau

GZ-SZ-HK Express Rail line

SZ-HK Western Express line

Northern Link

Beijing-Guangdong rail line


SZ

HK

Fig. 86: Vision on Regional scale56

Vision on Regional scaleBased on the above analysis on both Bay Area and HK-SZ scale. The position and vision of WNT area in the future urban development are show in fig. 86 and as follows: 1). WNT area would be a new connecting zone between HK and SZ with the new infrastructure connections; 2). WNT area should develop into a high-quality living area with new development in HSK, it should be a ideal living place to attract citizens from both HK and SZ with a new living style, especially for cross-boundary commuters; 3). Based on the natural environment quality in WNT area, it has the potential to develop into a multi-function leisure area for HK and SZ residents.

However, the vision is based on development trend from the gov-ernment’s plan and the final detail plan is still not decided yet. Whether the existing local residents of WNT area will benefit from the plan is not sure yet, especially the low-income people. The re-lationship between my strategy & plan and the goverment’s plan is shown in fig. 87. The new strategy & plan of this project would supplement the government’s plan from a bottom-up view. In the next chapter, an inclusive vision on WNT scale will be illustrated to show how to benefit the low-income people.

Fig. 87: The relationship between the government’s plan and new strategy & plan

low-income

middle-income

high-income

corporation

macro economyGovernment’s planHSK development

New living areaInfrastructureBusiness area

Hospital...

...Public space

Local economyBicycle network

New marketplaceCommunity development

New strategy & plan

10. Vision

57

Proportion of households with income below average CSSA payment by district, 2010

5.96.9 7.5 7.4

8.8

13.3

8.7

11.912.8

13.7

8.7

13.4

15.7

13.7

9.4 9.3

7.0

10.5 10.7

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Central andWestern

Wan Chai Eastern Southern Yau TsimMong

Sham ShuiPo

KowloonCity

Wong TaiSin

Kwun Tong Kwai TsingT suen Wan Tuen Mun Yuen Long North Tai Po Sha Tin Sai Kung Islands Overall

%

Fig. 89: Social figures by districts, source: Census and Statistics Department, 2011 Top: ‘Median monthly household income by district,2010’ shows the household income in YL and TM is not high, lower than the overall figure of HK. Middle: ‘Proportion of households with income below average CSSA payment by district, 2010’ shows that the low-income households proportion in YL and TM are quite high, especially YL tops the low-income proportion because of TSW. Bottom: ‘Proportion of workless households by district, 2010’ shows that the workless households proportion is also high in YL and TM, higher than the overall figure of HK.

Fig. 90: Employment rate, source: Census and Statistics Department, 2011 Top: ‘Employment status of population aged 15+ in administrative districts and unemployment rate in TSW, 2006’ shows that in 2006, the unemployment rate in TSW, YL and TM are the top three in HK.Also, the job available which means the number of jobs per person in the labour force was only 0.4 compared to the overall figure of 0.8 (HKU SWSA, 2009) Bottom: ‘Unemployment rate by district,2010’ shows the unemployment rate in TM and YL is still higher than the overall figure.

Median monthly household income by district, 2010

25,300

28,400

21,50020,000

18,000

13,800

20,000

15,000 14,000 14,500

20,500

16,000 15,00017,000

19,900 19,600

22,500

17,800 18,000

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

Central andWestern


Sham ShuiPo

KowloonCity

Wong TaiSin

Kwun Tong Kwai TsingT suen Wan Tuen Mun Yuen Long North Tai Po Sha TinS ai KungI slands Overall

$

Proportion of workless households by district, 2010

7.9 8.3 7.8

6.2

9.0

11.8

9.9 9.711.1

10.2

6.6

9.5

11.510.4

8.08 .0

6.0

8.19.1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Central andWestern


Sham ShuiPo

KowloonCity

Wong TaiSin

Kwun Tong Kwai Tsing Tsuen Wan Tai Po Sha TinS ai Kung Islands Overall

%

Tuen Mun Yuen Long North

Unemployment rate* by district, 2010

2.5 2.4

3.63 .6 3.7

4.9

3.4

5.15.6 5.4

3.8

4.5

5.5

6.3

4.2 4.33.8

4.2 4.4

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Central andWestern

Wan Chai EasternS outhernY au TsimMong

Sham ShuiPo

KowloonCity

Wong TaiSin

Kwun Tong Kwai Tsing Tsuen WanT ai Po Sha Tin Sai Kung Islands Overall

%

58

YL district

YL

TM

TSW

HSK

TM district

10.2 WNT Scale

Socio-economic conditionWest New Territory (WNT) scale (fig.88) is another important scale studied in this project, which consists of YL district and TM dis-trict, with three new towns (YL, TM and TSW) and a new develop-ment area HSK. Some social figures (fig.89) shows that the median monthly household income in YL and TM are lower than the over-all figure of HK, but the proportion of low-income households and workless households are all higher than overall figure of HK. This means that there is a large part of low-income residents in WNT area. Other figures (fig.90) shows that the unemployment rate of TSW, YL and TM are the highest in HK in 2006, and this rate is still high in 2010. Moreover, the job available, which means the num-ber of jobs per person in the labour force, in TM and YL was only 0.4 compared to the overall figure of 0.8 (HKU SWSA,2009).

From the housing type perspective (fig. 91), the population per-centage living in public rental flats is high in three new towns com-pared to other new towns, especially TSW has the percentage of 61.5%.

All these social figures shows that the socio-economic condition in WNT area is not well at the moment. It needs some development to improve the current socio-economic conditions.

Fig. 88: WNT scale consists of YL district and TM district with three new towns: YL, TM & TSW and a new development area HSK

Fig. 91: Percentage of population by new town and type of housing, 2006, source: HKU SWSA, 2009

10. Vision

59

0 606m

SeaUrban settlementVillage settlementFire RangeCountry parkWetlandFishing pond villageRiverCoast lineMTR lineLight rail lineBus lineRoadBicycle lineBorder lineMTR stationLight rail stationBus terminalTun Men ferry pier

Fig. 92: Transport analysis on WNT scale60

Transport AnalysisThere are different types of public transport in WNT area, from metro to light rail, bus and bicycle as shown in fig.88. MTR system (fig.93) of HK consisting of metro and light rail, is well-known around the world for its effeciency and convenience. However, MTR system is expensive for low-income people in WNT area, especially if they have a job in the city centre, the transport cost and time consuming would often stop them from the work in the end. The road is often occupied by car and light rail, so pedestrians and bicycles must use foot bridge to cross the road. Bus network is well connnected and also cheaper. But bus will take longer time especially in the traffic jam during rush hours.

Generally speaking, on the ground level, pedestrian and bicycle don’t have priority. The road is made for the automobile, and it is the overall condition in HK as well as many Asian cities.

Recently, the government give some subsidies to residents of TSW who work in the city center. However residents still have to pay a large part of their salary on transport. The subsidy is not the solution for the problem, on the contrary, it is encouraging the uneven develop-ment and monocentric urban structure in HK. Instead, efforts should be taken to promote local development on WNT scale so that people don’t have to commute to the center everyday.

Fig. 93: MTR system map of HK and images of transport, Source: Google Image

MTR station Light rail station

Road Foot bridge (for pedestrian & bicycle)

10. Vision

61

Fig. 94: Proposed NT cycle track network

Fig. 95: Bicycle use condition in HK

62

BicycleUnlike European cities that encourage the use of bicycle, bicycle in HK is in an embarrassed condition. It might because of the hilly terrain and crowed street in the city center, so the government consider bicycle as a leisure activity rather than a type of transport mode. But things are a bit different in the new towns in New Ter-ritory where it is flatter and less populated. Bicycle network was planned in most new towns and bicycle can be seen everywhere in WNT area.

The government also propose a public bicycle network in New Ter-ritory (fig. 94) which is supposed to finish in 2015. This network willl link different view sites and several bike rental spots will be built near MTR station. It is obvious that this network is designed for tourists. Bicycle is still not encouraged as a transport mode in HK.

This attitude to bicycle brings many problems in the design of bicy-cle facilities. There is not enough bicycle parking and other related bicycle facilities like rental and repair, also since bicycle is not seri-ously taken as a transport mode, many pedestrian walk on bicycle path (fig. 95). Moreover, there is not a well-designed bicycle net-work in WNT area that could all connect together, it means the bicycle path will suddenly stop and bicycle need to share road with car or pedestrian sometimes. All these problems make bicycle a

dangerous transport.

However, if the government could upgrade the position of bi-cycle and make well-designed bicycle network, bicycle could become a new alternative for low-income people who want to save some transport money. It is not saying that a well-devel-oped bicycle network will attract many people to abandon other transport modes. It is just offering another choice for people es-pecially those have no choice at the moment.

There are already many people using bicycle to go shopping or go to work in WNT area no matter how dangerous the road is, because bicycle as a free transport will save them some trans-port cost. So, it is not hard to imagine, a well- developed bicycle network will help more low-income people. Most importantly, if new development in WNT area could bring some employment on local scale, this will further encourage bicycle as a transport mode and support local economy development. By then, peo-ple don’t have to travel hours to the city center, but go to work freely by bicycle and exercising themselves on the way.

10. Vision

63

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

0 606m

SeaUrban settlementVillage settlementFire RangeCountry parkWetlandFishing pond villageCulture Heritage village and siteTourism villageRiverCoast lineMTR lineLight rail lineMan-made beachNature beachBorder lineHiking routeMain visiting site/ local temple

Fig. 96: Landscape analysis on WNT scale64

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Tai Lam Country park



Wetland park

Mai Po Nature Reserve

Mai Po Nature Reserve

1

1

1

2

3

3

Fig. 97: Nature Landscape imags on WNT scale, source: Google Image

NATURE LANDSCAPE

10. Vision

65

Pak Nai sunset

Lung Kwu Tan seaside

Golden Beach

Golden BeachTsim Bei Tsui Lau Fau Hill

Seafood in Lau Fau Hill4

4

5

6

7

78

Traditional event

Local Temple

Castle Peak Temple Heritage village-Ping Shan

Heritage village-Ping Shan Fishing pond village

9

10

11

11

11

12

SEASIDE LANDSCAPE

CULTURE LANDSCAPEFig. 98: Seaside Landscape imags on WNT scale, source: Google Image

Fig. 99: Culture Landscape imags on WNT scale, source: Google Image66

Landscape AnalysisThe WNT area is rich in landscape recourses. After some landscape analysis (fig.96), three types of landscape are shown:

1) Nature landscape (fig.97): Tai Lam Country park is the second largest country park in HK, besides beautiful sightseeings, it provides hiking route and a series of barbucue and picnic sites. The Wetland park is a new tourist attraction to experience the wetland with the function of ecological mitigation and education. Mai Po nature reserve is a precious wetland area and protected as a home for wild creatures. It attracts many birds every year, as well as visi-tors watching the spectacular view from nearby spots.

2) Seaside landscape (fig.98): Golden Beach is a comprehensive tourism site with beach, shopping mall, hotel and other recreation facilities. There are also some other beaches along the coast. Pak Nai is a natrual seaside beside the village. It is well-known as a place to watch sunset. Lung Kwu Tan is another natrual seaside next to a village with the amaz-ing view of red trees. There is also a temple nearby. Lau Fau Hill in on the north part nea TSW. It is famous for cheap and delicious seafood. There are many restaurants selling special seafood and attracting many visitors. Tsim Bei Tsui is at the border point of HK. Besides natrual sight, the city of SZ is just in the opposite.

3) Culture landscape (fig.99): Castle Peak Temple is the most famous temple in HK with some his-torical architecture on the Castle Peak. There are some other famous temples in the WNT area and local temples in the village. Ping Shan is a well-preserved traditional village with a heritage trail which connect several declared monument and graded buildings. It is a perfect place to understand the traditional village culture of HK. There are also some fishing pond villages on the northern part near the wetland area, like Nam Sang Wai.

The landscape in WNT are diverse and with high quality. The different landscape distribute all over the area. They can be good resources for local economy development to attract visitors from both HK and SZ.

10. Vision

67

H

H

H

H

Ha TsuenFarm: 20

Castle PeakFarm: 17

Ping ShanFarm: 6

Tuen MunFarm: 6

Lam TeiFarm: 12

Koon LamFarm: 17

Shap Pat HeungFarm: 8

Pat HeungFarm: 20

0 606m

SeaUrban settlementVillage settlementFire RangeCountry parkWetlandFishing pond villageRiverCoast lineMTR lineLight rail lineBorder lineMarketShopping mallFood stallsBarbecue /Picnic siteHotelAccredited farmLeisure farm

H

Fig. 100: Local service analysis

68

H

H

H

H

Ha TsuenFarm: 20

Castle PeakFarm: 17

Ping ShanFarm: 6

Tuen MunFarm: 6

Lam TeiFarm: 12

Koon LamFarm: 17

Shap Pat HeungFarm: 8

Pat HeungFarm: 20

Fig. 101: Local service images: shopping mall, market, food stalls, hotel, barbucue & picnic site

Fig. 101: Leisure farm and accredited farmsource: Google image

Shopping mall

Hotel Barbucue & picnic site

Local market Food stalls

Local Service AnalysisThe distribution of local service in WNT area shown in fig.100, the images (fig.101) and conditions are analysed as follows. There is a main shopping center in the town centre of YL and TM respectively, but the quality of scale is not comparable to the one in Sha Tin- a new town of ENT. There are not enough marketplaces for low-income residents. Dawn market and other informal market are illegal in WNT area, while there is a legal informal market in Tai Po - a new town of ENT. However, this type of informal market are essential for low-income groups, providing not only cheap consumption, but also job op-portunities. Moreover, unlike streets full of food stalls in the city centre of HK, there are not that much stalls in WNT area. These food stalls lack of special characteristics that could attract visitors. There are only three hotels in the entire area, one is five star in TM, one is four star in TSW, the other is an ordi-nary one in YL. Several barbucue & picnic sites near the country park are not well used.

Agriculture is not supported as an industry in HK. There are two types of farm besides normal farming. One is accredited farm encouraged by government for safe farm product. It has grown to a system with production and sale. The other is leisure and organic farm, with the aim to attract visitors. There are a large number of accredited farms and leisure farms in WNT area. Following the trend that people concern more about the safety of food and slow-speed life, these types of farms became very popular in recent years.

In general, the local service condition is not good enough, neither to meet the demand of low-income groups as well as other residents, nor to attract visitors in HK and SZ. There should be some improve-ment to upgrade both the quantity and the quality of local service. The basic line is to meet the de-mand of local people especially low-income groups, and the better scenario is to offer high-quality serive to visitors and improve local development.

10. Vision

69

s

s H

s

s

H s

s

H

s

YL

TM ferry

Lung Kwu Tan

Pak Nai

Lau Fau Hill

Tsim Bei Tsui

Nam Sang Wai

Tai Lam country park

Mai Po nature reserve

Ping Shan

Siu Hong

Wetland park

TSW

Ha Tsuen

Lam Tei

Gold coast

Sam Shing

Castle Peak

Tsing Tin

TM town center

TM

HSK

SeaUrban settlementVillage settlementNew development area - HSKWetlandRiverCoast line

green route circlemain route in TSWsecondary green routemain/ secondary/ other service center

s

H

MTRLight railBusFerryBicycle service

Natural landscapeCultural siteSeasideLeisure farm

Shopping mallMarketFood stallsHotel

Fig. 102: Vision on WNT scale70

s

s H

s

s

H s

s

H

s

YL

TM ferry

Lung Kwu Tan

Pak Nai

Lau Fau Hill

Tsim Bei Tsui

Nam Sang Wai

Tai Lam country park


Ping Shan

Siu Hong

Wetland park

TSW

Ha Tsuen

Lam Tei

Gold coast

Sam Shing

Castle Peak

Tsing Tin

TM town center

TM

HSK

Vision on WNT ScaleBased on the above analysis of transport, landscape and local service, a vision on WNT scale is shown in fig.102. As a complementary plan to the government’s plan, the focusing point of this vision is local development. The basic idea is to plan a Green Route network (fig.103).

This Green Route network includes: 1) Green Route Circle: It is a circle connecting the main landscape sight-seeings, shopping centres, service areas, transportation hubs and impor-tant street. The transport mode on this circle includes metro, light-rail, bus, a well-designed bicycle network with bicycle facilities and services, and a slow-drive route. 2) Main Route in TSW: Based on the Green Route circle, there will be three main route lines going through TSW connecting important spots. These three lines will be further explained in the next chapter. 3) Secondary Green Route: There will be some other secondary green route connecting to the rest important spots outside the green route circle, and also connecting to living areas of local residents. Besides public trans-port, a well-connected bicycle network will be developed. 4) Service Centres: Along the green route, different hierarchy of service centres will be established with multi functions nearby like shopping mall, market, food stalls, leisure farm, bicycle service and hotel. These centres will be combined with transportation hub, sightseeings or other important function areas. On the one hand, they could provide services to local resi-dents and visitors; on the other hand, they could also provide some job op-portunities for local low-income residents.

Fig. 103: The Green Route network scheme (left) and the Green Route network (right)

10. Vision

71

s

bicycle service spot natural landscape

public housing

school

new housing

cultural site

leisure farm

local residents

new residents

tourist

local employment

Fig. 105: The future life scenario scheme of WNT area

72

sseaside

H

hotel

This green route network will make good use of existing natural and human resources. It will need the help of the government to construct bicycle networks and provide land for service are-as. Then, the local residents themselves will build up their own careers and fulfill the urban management by themselves with the help of self-organisation, NGOs or others under the free market (fig.104). By then, more and more people and develop-ment will be attracted to WNT area.

Future life in WNT areaThe green route network will bring benefit to existing local resi-dents, new residents and visitors. Their lives will be connected to-gether by the green route. Here is the future life scenario of WNT area (fig.105): 1) Tourists: Tourists can cycle along the green route and experi-ence the diverse landscape. They will stop by at different service centres: rent a bicycle , visit a sightseeing, have luch at local food stalls and enjoy the unique home-made food by housewives, do some shopping in shopping malls or local market, visit a leisure farm and pick some fresh vegetables for dinner, go to seaside for the sunset and have some seafood, stay in family hotel ... 2) Local residents: In the morning, mothers will leave public housing community, send children to school, and then ride a bi-cycle to work on the green route. They work in leisure farm, local market, food stalls, bicycle rental spot or other service areas. After the work, on their way to take the children home, they will go to local market for some cheap and fresh food. 3) New residents: New residents are attracted to WNT area be-cause of the new lifestyle here: convenient connetion to SZ and HK, new opportunities in HSK, beautiful living environment with fresh air and green, and most importantly, the lively green route. They could also enjoy the service from green route and get on well with local residents.

Fig. 104: The position of different stakeholders in the development

Government

Local residentsSelf-organization

NGO & others

Build bicycle networkProvide land for service area

Build up their own careerManage by themselves

+

10. Vision

73

0 50 100 200m

PP

HousingGreen spaceRiverIndoor parkingOutdoor parkingPublic Transport interchangeBus terminalMain roadSecondary roadLight rail lineMTR rail lineBus lineBicycle pathBridgeFoot bridgeLight rail stationMTR station


P

P

P

P

P

P

PP

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

Tin Yuet

Tin Sau

Wetland parkTin Heng

Tin Yat

Tin Fu

Chung Fu

Tin Tsz

Tin Wu

Ginza

Tin Wing

Chestwood

Tin Shui

Locwood

Tin Yiu


Fig. 106: Transport analysis on TSW scale74

foot bridge/ skywalk connection pedestrian/ street walk connection

10.3 TSW Scale

Transport analysisThe transport network is shown in fig.106 with images in fig.107. The transport inside TSW relies on light rail, but the light rail con-struction has become a barrier on ground level. The road is de-signed for automobile and not friendly to pedestrian and bicycle. Pedestrian and bicycle have to cross the foot bridge. There are many people riding bicycles, however they are facing many difficul-ties: unconnected bicycle path, sharing path with pedestrian and cars, carrying bicycle to cross the foot bridge, no parking, etc.

There are two types of pedestrian connections at crossing points in TSW (fig.108). In many parts, it is by foot bridge. This type of sky-walk connection is a linear connection: it connects from home to shopping mall, then to light rail station, finally to the metro station. It shows a kind of life trace of many residents in TSW: home- shop-ping- MTR- work- MTR- shopping- home.

The other type is on the ground level. This type of street walk con-nection is more convenient and offering more choices. It is not more dangerous than foot bridge like some people worried, as long as you follow the traffic rule. These two types of connections show that spatial design will effect people’s activities by connecting route and the choices offering to people.

In general, like other places in HK, there is no priority for pedestri-an on ground level. Unfortunately, most of the low-income people in TSW don’t have cars, so the road failed their mission. TSW is not big, the light rail only takes 20 minutes to make a circle through the whole area. Instead of wide and empty road, the future de-velopment in TSW should encourage the street level activity and give the road back to pedestrian and bicycles. This will bring more convenient and offer more choices to the residents, especially the low-income groups, as well as bring dynamic street life and local development opportunities.

Fig. 107: Transport image in TSW a. a bird eyeview of road with ligh rail station b. the light rail line on ground level, it has become a barrier. c. the crossing point on ground level. Only some parts in TSW have crossing on ground level, many crossing points are foot bridge. d. there is few bicycle parking facilities, and the bicycle path design is not connected and well-designed, many pedestrian walk on bicycle path.

Fig. 108: Different types of pedestrian connection in TSW

a b

dc

10. Vision

75

0 50 100 200m

PP

HousingSchoolGreen spaceRiverServiceShopping centerIndoor parkingOutdoor parkingPublic Transport interchangeBus terminalWet market/cooked food stallMain roadSecondary roadLight rail lineMTR rail lineBus lineBicycle pathBridgeFoot bridgeLight rail stationMTR station

P

P

P

P

P

P

PP

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

Tin Yuet

Tin Sau

Wetland parkTin Heng

Tin Yat

Tin Fu

Chung Fu

Tin Tsz

Tin Wu

Ginza

Tin Wing

Chestwood

Tin Shui

Locwood

Tin Yiu



Fig. 109: Local service analysis on TSW scale76

Local Service analysis

The local service analysis is shown in fig 109 with images in fig.110. The open space inside housing estate is generally in good quality with diverse facilities. But in the northern part, the quality is not good, lacking open space for leisure activity. The commercial ser-vice relies on shopping malls and wet markets run by big corpora-tions. Because of commercial monopoly, the price is higher than other areas like YL. So daily consumption is expensive for low-in-come groups. These shopping malls are all designed as single com-plex building connected by skywalk system with housing estate. The whole TSW only has three places with shops on the street level (fig.111) and the sense of street life like other parts of HK.

It is hard to define public space in HK, because many spaces are privatilized so that people are not free to use. In TSW, it is easy to find open space with landscape design, but it is only a place for rest. So, there is hardly any public space for social communication or economic activitives, a place everyone is free to use. Especially for children who covers one fifth of the whole population, there are some roof gardens on top of the shopping malls for children to play, but the parents think it is not safe. So, children don’t have safe plac-es to play while their mothers can watch them from the window.

There should be diverse commercial service and safe public space for residents to use, some places always have eyes watch-ing like Jacobs described. That will help to improve the living quality of residents and promote social life and economic op-portunities, especially for the low-income groups.

Fig. 110: Local service image in TSW a. open space inside housing estate are in good quality b. shopping mall at the corner of the street, it is connected to housing estate and light rail station by sky walk system. There is no people on the street. c. empty parking building at the corner of the street, also connected by skywalk system.

Fig. 111: One of the few street level shops in TSW.

a b c

10. Vision

77

0 50 100 200m

HousingGreen spaceRiverMain road

Public Rental Housing EstateSubdisized Sale Housing EstatePrivate Housing Estate


Fig. 112: Housing estate design analysis on TSW scale78

Housing

Primary schoolMiddle school

Playground

ServiceOpen space

Shopping center

MTR StationLight rail stationBus stop

Exit

0 100m

Fig. 113: Housing estate image in TSW a. housing estate enclosed by fence b. housing estates connected by foot bridge c. road between housing estates are empty and occupied by light rail track and car

Fig. 114: Space under the foot bridge, a resident sit under the foot bridge surrounded by the empty space

Fig. 115: Housing estate sample in TSW

a b c

Housing Estate design analysis

The transport system and service quality resulted in the closed in housing estates shown in fig.112. These housing estates were originally designed as inward-oriented independent communities surrounded by fence. This made the basic image of TSW (fig.113) consisits of isolated communities. The foot bridge lifted the route to shopping malls, so people had to face the empty street (fig.114).

As shown before, the spatial structure is so simple with the same housing estate sample (fig.115) copying 15 times on the empty ground. Inside the housing estate, different facilities and services are provided, but there is no connection between housing estates. So, TSW is merely a sleeping area rather than a living area, it is a huge residential with 300,000 residents rather than a new town.

Such design problems should be avoid in the future. The essential thing right now is to create opportunities in space that could pro-mote lively urban life, and encourage places where people could have diverse socio-economic and other activities as they wish.

10. Vision

79

0 200 500m

P

P

P

P

P

P

PP

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P


s

Tsim Bei Tsui

HSK


Fig. 116: River line condition analysis80


The river at the edge of TSW, it is mainly for flood

Preliminary development plan for HSK

Tsim Bei Tsui: the border point of HK with nice natrual view, and the city of SZ is just in the other side of water

The riverfront in TSW with pedestrian way, bicycle path and some resting facilities (left)There is a dawn market in the riverfront now, it is lively but illegal (right)

10. Vision

81

0 200 500m

P

Fig. 116: River line Vision on TSW scale

River line

Market area

connection from village

new public space

school

park

82

10. Vision

Vision on TSW Scale - River lineThe River line is from Tsim Bei Tsui to HSK, and the existing condi-tion is shown in fig.116. Inside TSW, it is mainly the riverfront area. Now, the river is mainly for flood protection without landscape purpose. The riverfront is designed with pedestrian path, bicycle track and some resting places. The village is just across the river. So, some farmers bring fresh vegetable and some hawkers bring other daily stuff to an illegal dawn market at the riverfront near the bridge and schools, residents will visit the small market when they are doing morning exercise and sending children to school. This spontaneous market is very lively but risky. Some NGOs are helping them fighting for a legal market.

So, the vision for the River line (fig.117) is to meet the demand of local residents. Dawn/ Evening market will open at the riverfront, local farmers and other hawkers will have a fix area for business, and residents can visit the market at a fix time when they are doing morning exercise or taking children to school/home. Together with the market, some local service can also take place, like the existing hairdresser. The main purpose of the riverfront is for leisure activ-ity, new public space combined with market will be designed for social communication. When there is no market, they will be used as public space for other social activities with nice landscape.

83

0 200 500m

P

P

P

P

P

P

PP

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P


Lau Fau Hill

Nam Sang Wai


Fig. 117: Street line condition analysis84

Lau Fau Hill is famous for seafood market and catering

Nam Sang Wai used to be a fishing pond, now it is a famous sight seeing.

Near the crossing point, hawkers sometimes will make the street lively, but still it’s illegal

The rest of the street is empty. Housing estates fence themselves for safety, leaving residents sitting in the empty leftover space. This is unsafe space because there are

no eyes watching from the street or windows.

10. Vision

85

0 200 500m

P

Fig. 119: Street line Vision on TSW scale

Street line

New street

special market

connection from housing estate

shopping mall

86

Fig. 118: Space syntax analysis of integration R 300m

10. Vision

Vision on TSW Scale - Street lineThe Street line is from Lau Fau Hill to Nam Sang Wai, and the exist-ing condition is shown in fig.117. Inside TSW, it is mainly a street. Right now, it is only a road for automobile. Besides the crossing point where some shopping malls gathered, the two sides of the road are all enclosed by fence. There is only a few shops at the ground level near this street. It is a very well-connected road based on space syntax analysis (fig.118) and it has the potential to de-velop into a lively street.

So, the vision for the Street line (fig.119) is to develop into a lively street to meet the demand of local residents and potential tourists. On the ground level beside the street, more small shops for retail, catering or other services can be built. The street profile should be friendly to pedestrian and bicycle with some public space along the street. All these will attract more residents to the street. Housing estate should get rid of the fence, and make good route connection to the street. So, residents can easily reach the street and enjoy the lively street life. Moreover, some special market like mutual aid market and second hand market can open at some places along the street on weekend. Residents can exchange their useless stuff with other people or sell at a cheap price. This type of market is quite common in European cities, and it will do some help to the low-income groups as well as other residents.

100m

87

0 200 500m

P

P

P

P

P

P

PP

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P


s HYLPing Shan

Wetland park

TSW


Fig. 120: View line condition analysis88

Wetland park of HK is the popular tourism sightseeing in recent years

MTR station of TSW, a stop on the west rail line connecting to the city center of HK

TSW park is a well-designed public park in the south of TSW

YL town centre is the centre of WNT area with lively street life. TSW residents always do shopping here because it is more diverse and cheaper.

Ping Shan, a well preserved heritage village with a heritage trail (left) connecting different monuments and graded buildings

10. Vision

89

0 200 500m

P

ni

Fig. 121: View line Vision on TSW scale

River line

new street service area

special market

shopping mall

park

90

10. Vision

Vision on TSW Scale - View lineThe View line is from wetland park to YL town center. It connects wetland park, TSW park, TSW MTR station, Ping Shan and YL town center as shown in fig.120. This line connects sightseeings near TSW together, so it is mainly for the tourists, and partly for local residents.

So, the vision for the View line (fig.121) is to offering some tourism service along the line. The whole line would have a well-designed bicycle and pedestrian path on the ground level. Two streets, one near wetland park and the other near MTR station, have potential to developed into new service areas, like catering, shopping, bicycle rental & repair. This new service area should have a unique quality. For example, catering can be a good chance for some unemployed housewives, mainly migrants from all parts of China, to show their home-made specials. Some HK citizens already proposed the idea to build a large scale Da Pai Dang (food stalls in Chinese), but the government pay little attention. Since this line goes through TSW park, there can be some special market along the line in TSW park on weekend. The market can offer some special or local produced product for tourists, like organic food. This line also passes some shopping malls, tourists are also free to do some shopping in TSW.

ConclusionVision on Regional scale, WNT scale and TSW scale have the strong purpose to include the low-income groups into the fu-ture development strategy. Strategies and detail design will come up in the following Phases.

To be continued...

91

Other references:

CAGAPE, E.W., 2009, Hong Kong tops world rich-poor gap. Asian correspondent, 20 Oct 2009. accessed Oct 2011.<http://asiancorrespondent.com/17593/hong- kong-tops-world-rich-poor-gap/>CIA, 2011, The world factbook, accessed Oct 2011<https://www.cia.gov/ library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html>DREW, K., 2011, Growing Discontent Seen in Annual Hong Kong Protest. (2011, July 1). The New York Times. <http://www.nytimes. com/2011/07/02/world/asia/02ihthong02.html?pagewanted=all>HK Place, 2011, Hong Kong Place. accessed Oct 2011. <http://www.hk-place.com/index.php>HKSTPC, 2011, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation. accessed Oct 2011<http://www.hkstp.org/HKSTPC/en_html/en_corporation1_2.jsp>KWOK, V., 2010, Colonial deal built ‘City of Sadness’. (2010, Dec 6). South China Moring PostMILLENNIUM CITY, 2011, accessed Oct 2011. <http://www.millenniumcity.hk/mmc/>MOS.HK, 2011, <http://www.mos.hk/book_onshan/newpart3e.htm>SAVILLS, 2011, Old And New World Is Divided Says Savills New World Class Cities Index, accessed Oct 2011<http://en.savills.com.cn/_news/newsitem.aspx?int SitePageId=37198&intNewsSitePageId=115419-0&intNewsMonth=08&intNew sYear=2011>SHATIN.HK, 2011, < http://shatin.hk/image.php?s=%2Fimages%2Fwww%2Fnow_ past%2Fdevelop%2F1980%2F043-2_big.jpg&main_cat=2&sub_cat=17&id=52 >SOCO, 2010, Society for Community Organization. < http://www.soco.org.hk/rights/right022_e.htm >STUDIO RE, 2009, Reinterpretation of Hong Kong housing typology. accessed Oct 2011Download: <http://issuu.com/celia.ho/docs/1006>ZARATHUSTRA, 2011, 30-year History of Hong Kong Property Market in One Chart. Also Sprach Analyst, accessed Oct 2011 <http://www.alsosprachanalyst.com/real-estate/real-estate-30-year- history-of-hong-kong-property-market-in-one-chart.html>

Academic literature:

BRISTOW, M.R.,1989, Hong Kong’s New Towns – a selective review. Hong Kong: Oxford University PressCASTELLS, M.,2010, The information age: economy, society and culture Volume III End of millennium. UK: Willey – BlackwellDRAKAKIS-SMITH, D.,1979, High society: housing provision metropolitan Hong Kong 1954-1979. Hong Kong : Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong KongDWYER, D.J.,1970, Urban squatters: the relevance of the Hong Kong experience, Asian Survey, vol.10, No.7, 607-613ESPING-ANDERSON, G.,1990, The three worlds of welfare capitalism. Cambridge: Polity Press.HARVEY, D., 2005, A brief history of neoliberalism. New York: OxfordHOEKSTRA, J., 2003, Housing and the welfare State in the Netherlands: an application of Esping-Anderson’s typology. Housing, Theory and Society, vol. 20, No.2, 58-71LAI, L.W.C.,1994, The property price crisis, in: D.H.McMillen & S.W.Man (Eds), The other Hong Kong report 1994, pp.187-108. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.LEUNG, C.K.,1971, The growth of internal public passenger transport. In D.J. Dwyer (Ed.), Asian Urbanization: A Hong Kong casebook. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press PUN, K.S.,1987, New towns and urban renewal in Hong Kong. In D. R. Phillips & A. G.O. Yeh, (Eds.), New towns in East and South-east Asia: Planning and development (pp.41-58). New York: OxfordSHELTON, B., KARAKIEWICZ, J. & KVAN, T., 2011, The Making of Hong Kong: From Vertical to Volumetric. Oxfordshire: RoutledgeSIT, V.F.S., 2001, Hong Kong: 150 Years, Development in Maps. Hong Kong: Joint Publishing (U.K.), Co. Ltd. TANG, W-S., 2008, Hong Kong under Chinese sovereignty: social development and a land (re)development regime. Eurasian Geography and Economics 49, 341-61.TANG, W.S., 2008, Tin Shui Wai: is it a matter of inadequate provision? Occasional Paper 82, The Centre for China Urban and Regional Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong KongYUNG, B., 2007, An interplay between Western and Confucian concepts of justice: Development of Hong Kong Housing Policy. Housing, Theory and Society, vol. 24, No.2, 111-132

HKU SWSA, 2009, Research team of Department of Social Work and Social Administration, University of Hong Kong. A study on Tin Shui Wai New Town: Final report. accessed Oct 2011Download: <http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/tsw/r3.pdf>LANDSD HK, 2005, Land Tenure System and Land Policy in Hong Kong, accessed Oct 2011 < http://www.landsd.gov.hk/en/service/landpolicy.htm>LANDSD HK, 2011, Land sale records, accessed Oct 2011 < http://www.landsd.gov.hk/en/landsale/records.htm>LING, K.K., 2011, Study on the Action plan for the Bay area of the Pearl River Estuary. Planning Department, HKSARG. accessed Oct 2011. download: < http://www.prdbay.com/UploadFile/20110413210001.pdf >NORTHBOUND SOUTHBOUND 2009, Cross boundary travel survery 2009, Planning department, download Oct 2011 <http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_ study/comp_s/NorthboundSouthbound2009/NBSB%202009.pdf>PLAND HK, 2006, Planning Department Hong Kong. A report on the updated area assessments of industrial land in the territory, accessed Oct 2011<http://www. pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/ industrial_report/Index.htm>PLAND HK, 2011, Planning Department Hong Kong. Broad Land Usage Distribution, accessed Oct 2011.<http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/info_serv/statistic/ landu.html>PRDBAY, 2011, accessed Nov 2011, <http://www.prdbay.com/ft/home.asp>

Policy documents & Official data:

CENSTATD HK, 2011, Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong. accessed Oct 2011<http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/home/index.jsp>GOV HK, 2011, Hong Kong – the Facts, accessed Oct 2011 < http://www.gov.hk/en/about/abouthk/facts.htm>HA, 2011, Housing Authority Hong Kong. Property location and Profile. accessed Oct 2011< http://www.housingauthority.gov.hk/en/inter activemap/hkmap/0,,1-347-0_0_1,00.html>HA, 2011, Housing Authority Hong Kong. Housing in Figures 2011. accessed Oct 2011. Download: <http://www.housingauthority.gov.hk/hdw/con tent/document/en/aboutus/resources/statistics/HIF2011.pdf>HK 2030, 2009, Hong Kong 2030: Planning Vision and Strategy, accessed Oct 2011<http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/hk2030/eng/ home/ >HKCSS, 2010, The Hong Kong Council of Social Service. Poverty figures in 2010 1st half. accessed Oct 2011.<http://www.hkcss.org.hk/cm/cc/press/ documents/2010poverty.doc>

Reference

92