Industrial site at Kennedy Town gears up for redevelopment

It will yield 180 residential units.

According to a government release, the Urban Renewal Authority announced today the industrial block at 12P Smithfield Road at Kennedy Town will be redeveloped, in the first pilot scheme project for industrial building redevelopment.

The site will be redeveloped to provide about 8,000 square metres of residential space for 180 residential units, most with a saleable area of less than 500 square feet, while some floor areas will be reserved for retail businesses. It is tentatively scheduled for completion by 2018-19.

The authority’s Chairman Barry Cheung said the Financial Secretary has invited the authority to take part in industrial buildings' redevelopment in the form of a pilot scheme, as many industrial buildings are situated on lots already rezoned for other uses.

"Achieving better utilisation of land in the dilapidated areas of the built environment of Hong Kong and to make land available to meet various development needs is one of the main objectives of urban renewal stated in the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance," he said.

The authority will launch two industrial building pilot scheme projects in its 2012-13 business plan. The second will be rolled out early next year, using experience gained from the first project.