The Central Reclamation Phase III contract works award was done in full compliance of well-established procedures and after due process.

Responding to an open letter issued on June 8 by Society for Protection of the Harbour chairman Christine Loh, the Housing, Planning & Lands Bureau said it regretted the accusations levelled at the Government, which are groundless and incorrect.

It said similar queries had been raised by the society in its judicial review against the works, and reiterated the Government submission to the court fully addressed them.

Explaining the facts again, it said the main contract was awarded on February 10 last year and the works started 18 days later.

The Town Planning Board received the society's notification on February 27, the day before, that it had applied to the High Court for judicial review of the draft Wan Chai North Outline Zoning Plan. The application was targeted at the decisions made by the board on the draft plan and had nothing to do with the reclamation works.

On February 28 last year the High Court granted leave to the society's application for judicial review. It was on September 25 that the society applied to the High Court for judicial review and an interim injunction against the works. Before that, the Government had not received any notification from any organisation of the lodging of any judicial review on the works.

The bureau stressed the award of the contract works was done in full compliance of well-established procedures and after the due process. There was no attempt to create a fait accompli nor would this be possible as the Government could not have known that there would be a judicial review on the reclamation at the time.