Looking ahead: Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands Carrie Lam calls on all sectors of the community to look forward and help build a vibrant harbour.

The High Court has turned down the Society for the Protection of the Harbour's application for a judicial review of the Central Reclamation Phase III.

Welcoming the judgment, the Government said a broad-based advisory body will be set up to boost community involvement in building a vibrant and easily accessible Victoria Harbour.

Today's judgment has also ruled that the reclamation project has special grounds and the decision-making process is sound.

Project confirmed to be legal

Speaking to the media at the Central Government Offices today, Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands Carrie Lam said the ruling has confirmed the project is legal.

The Government is also pleased that the reclamation controversy, which lasted for about a year, has come to an end.

Mrs Lam said: "We see a lot of consensus on working together to build a vibrant harbour. Therefore, I will make a strong appeal to the Society for the Protection of the Harbour that it is time to set aside all our differences and try to view the consensus and move ahead."

No further plans to reclaim the harbour

She also reiterated that apart from the Central Reclamation Phase III, as well as the proposed Wan Chai Reclamation and South East Kowloon Development which are under review, there will be no other reclamation works in the harbour.

To address community aspirations on harbour protection and involve the public as early as possible in the planning and review of harbour reclamation projects, a Harbourfront Enhancement Advisory Committee will be set up soon.

Mrs Lam believed that the committee will help garner views from all sectors of the community on harbour preservation and speed up the implementation of proposals to build a vibrant and easily accessible harbour for the public

Broad-based advisory body to be set up soon

Representatives from relevant organisations, districts and departments will be invited to join the advisory body, which will advise the Government on the following matters:

* guidelines for harbour reclamation and the review of the proposed reclamation in Wan Chai and South East Kowloon;

* land use planning and design of the harbour front;

* measures to boost community involvement; and

* innovative measures on the harbour's future management.

The Government will also set aside several million dollars in the coming financial year to subsidise district functions on harbour protection.

Reclamation works to resume in a month

Mrs Lam noted that the Central reclamation works, which were originally slated for completion in 55 months, have been delayed for five months owing to the judicial review.

The Territory Development Department will liaise with the contractor on how to press ahead with the project, she said, adding that the works will resume within a month.

She also revealed that the contractor, who is keen to move ahead with the project, has not lodged any claims so far, but admitted that some extra costs may be incurred due to the works delay.