Kick-Starting the Development of East Kowloon

49.     Hong Kong's traditional core business districts can no longer satisfy the growing demand for office space.  We must develop another core business district –– East Kowloon.  In the past decade, the total floor area of Grade A office space in Kwun Tong and Kowloon Bay has increased significantly by 2.5 times to 1.4 million square metres.  With the development of the office belt and tourism and leisure facilities at Kai Tak, combined with revitalised industrial buildings, East Kowloon is poised to be developed into a premier business district that provides an additional office floor area of 4 million square metres.

50.     East Kowloon includes the new Kai Tak Development Area, Kwun Tong and Kowloon Bay.  The Government is drawing up development strategies for the district, which include the following:

(i)         Enhancing connectivity within East Kowloon, such as improving pedestrian access networks; considering building an environmentally friendly linkage system through the entire district; and strengthening external connectivity through the MTR Kwun Tong Line and the future Sha Tin to Central Link;
(ii)        Attractive urban design concepts with greening features and pedestrian promenades to create a pleasant business district; and
(iii)       Advocating development that includes a wide range of cultural, leisure and water sports activities to energise the business district.

The Government will also relocate government offices to Kai Tak and release sites of government facilities for commercial development.  The Development Bureau will deploy additional manpower to promote the development of the district.  To achieve the transformation of this district, the Government will need to have vision and determination to put its plans into action.

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