Government clarifies land use of Kowloon Tong site

The southern portion of the site is fit for residential use.

According to a report, the Government says the southern portion of the former Institute of Vocational Education (Lee Wai Lee) campus at Renfrew Road, Kowloon Tong is suitable to be rezoned for residential use in order to meet housing needs.

A statement issued today clarified misconceptions regarding the request by Baptist University to use the whole site of the former campus.

The Government notes the university and other parties have made incorrect claims about requests to use the whole site.

If fully utilised, the northern portion of the site can meet the university's requirements for student hostels and academic space. After assessment, the Government believes it is not necessary to reserve the southern portion for higher education or other use as a Government, Institution or Community site.

The administration has submitted a proposal to the Town Planning Board to rezone the southern portion of the site for residential use, as the northern portion of the site has already been reserved for the university.

The Government currently does not have a policy to provide individual organisations with government land for private hospitals, and therefore does not support the university's proposal to construct a self-financed Chinese medicine hospital at the southern portion of the site.

The Government and the University Grants Committee do support the university and other institutions in their campus development on a fair and consistent basis in accordance with well-established policies.

The university has been granted more than 4,000 square metres of government land and nearly $1.2 billion in public funding to construct new academic buildings, providing nearly 30,000 square metres of academic space and bringing significant campus improvements.

The proposed rezoning is being taken forward in accordance with statutory town planning procedures. The board exhibited the relevant draft Outline Zoning Plan for public inspection on February 15 this year, welcoming views during the two-month consultation period.

In response to the criticism that including the site in the Land Sale Programme is not in line with established procedures, the Government stresses it is the administration’s practice to include all anticipated sites in the programme, to inform the market about the anticipated land supply.