The Town Planning Board has deferred its decision on the application for a hotel and open space development at Ship Street and Kennedy Road, Wan Chai. The board has some concerns over the development and has asked the applicant to return with further submissions to demonstrate these can be satisfactorily addressed.

The applicant has sought planning permission for amendments to a 93-storey hotel and commercial development previously approved by the board in 1994. The latest scheme proposed to enlarge the site boundary by about 42% and extend it into an open space zone, with different designs and layout.

The board's Metro Planning Committee rejected the application in April. The applicant sought review of the decision which was heard by the board today.

Issues of concern remain

While the proposal is generally in line with the board's planning intentions, there are still issues of concern on aspects such as the design which will result in wall effect when viewed from Bowen Road. The applicant needs to fully demonstrate that the development will be sustainable in traffic terms, without resulting in unacceptable traffic impact on the surrounding road network.

However, the board said the development will contribute positively to urban renewal in Wan Chai and help preserve Nam Koo Terrace while allowing public access to the historical building.