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f Part A: Broad IssuesOn The Environment This part deals with the broad issues of the environment in relation to land use and sustainability in Hong Kong. It discusses the relationships between the environment and town planning, and between sustainability and urban design. It focuses on those issues relating to the strategies, uses and sustainability of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour. In his chapter 'Sustainability and Urban Design', Peter Cookson Smith addresses the relationship between the two. In applying the concept of sustainable urban design in the context of Hong Kong, he discusses five key dimensions: spatial form, energy efficiency, urban ecology, tall building design and the environmental protection process. He claims that urban sustainability is ultimately a question of value judgementand a choice of improved environmental quality vis-a-vis other economic and social objectives. The achievement of 16 I Par t A: Broad Issues On The Environment environmental objectives requires coordinated efforts and the involvement of the whole community in deliberating and implementing an unambiguous and proactive agenda. In this connection, the author concludes that there is a need for genuine public consultation that aims at establishing what sort of place and urban character the people of Hong Kong want In Town Planning and the Environment: Role and Tools of Private Consulting Planners', Bo-sin Tang and Andrew Siu-lo Lam address the relationship between town planning and environmental protection in the context of private property development. They assert at the outset that property development and environmental quality are not two opposing goals. Planning is an important stage in property development projects prior to the commencement of irrevocable construction works. Their chapter discusses the role of privateconsulting town planners in handling the relevant environmental issues arising fromland development. In essence, planners seek to manipulate three components of property development — land use, development intensity and built form— with a view to mitigating the possible environmental damages. Examples of some commonly used land use planning solutions, including preservation, conservation, segregation, buffering, integration, compensation and sustainability, are discussed. In 'What Kind of Harbour City Do We Want?' Ted Pry orand Peter Cookson Smith focus their discussion of sustainability on one strategic asset in Hong Kong — the Victoria Harbour — which is now subject to various sorts of environmental threat. A product of human enterprise, the Harbour carries both aesthetic and economic functions for the local community. To relieve pressure on urban land, there is a need to achieve an appropriate scale, shape and location of harbour reclamation. With sensitive and innovative urban design ideas, harbour reclamation can be made into a great opportunity to revitalize and regenerate the urban centre. Considerations proposed by the authors include an upgrade of existing waterfront uses to support greater public access and enjoyment, development of a 'gateway park' to integrate recreation and tourist attraction spots with pedestrian links, careful and sensitive building design on the reclamation to enhance the harbour and new city image, and so on. Finally, they propose to set up a Harbour City Development Commission to coordinate and handle the institutional matters associated with development around the Harbour. ...

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