Perfect partner: Secretary for Development Carrie Lam and Jockey Club Chairman John Chan announce details of the Central Police Station Compound partnership project.

The Jockey Club will partner with the Government to take forward the conservation and revitalisation of the Central Police Station Compound. Secretary for Development Carrie Lam said the move will ensure early delivery of this major heritage project for the community.

Speaking at a press conference today, Mrs Lam said the Government is encouraged by the broad public support expressed for the Jockey Club's proposal outlined during the six-month public engagement.

"For an important heritage site like the compound, people are clearly in favour of a non-profit-making operation with a strong government commitment," she said. "People have a legitimate aspiration to visit and enjoy this important cluster of monuments as early as possible. This is a time to act."

The Executive Council endorsed the partnership project today, taking account of the results of the October to April public consultation and British experts' conservation-management plan for the compound.

Guiding principles

Under the partnership agreement the project will proceed, aiming to achieve both conservation and revitalisation of this highly important heritage site and to showcase in Hong Kong how new and sustainable uses can be integrated creatively into a historic site while preserving its overall historic and architectural significance.

A law and order museum will be housed onsite to reflect its historical significance and establish sustainable new arts and cultural uses, including a modest-size auditorium, a black-box theatre, a gallery and lecture hall, exhibition space and ancillary facilities.

Given the physical constraints of the existing buildings, the recommendations of the conservation-management plan and the objective to establish new and sustainable uses, a new structure will be built within the site to accommodate the facilities.

New requirements

The height and bulk of the new structure should be suitably reduced from that previously proposed to address concerns and views collected during the public-engagement exercise, but the opportunity should be taken to create a reputable piece of contemporary architecture.

The site and buildings will be made available to Jockey Club which will undertake all renovation, conversion and new-built works, as well as manage, operate and maintain the compound as a turnkey project at its own expense as a gift to Hong Kong.

The project will be subject to public scrutiny, including statutory requirements set by the Antiquities Authority and statutory processes, including those under the Town Planning and Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinances. A detailed traffic-impact assessment will also be required.

The Jockey Club will meet all the capital and recurrent project costs and designate future surpluses from the project for other heritage work in Hong Kong. It does not require ownership of the land or buildings and is not seeking any naming right.

Revised plan

Jockey Club Chairman John Chan said the conservation-management plan, prepared by one of the UK's most respected firms of conservation architects, has confirmed it is inappropriate to simply conserve the site in its entirety as a monument or museum.

The plan has also recognised new construction on the site will be needed. Any redevelopment or new construction on the site should respect its historic significance.

The project's design architects will make modifications to the new structure, taking into account views collected during the public consultation and the Government's requirements. The new design will still incorporate the necessary cultural elements, albeit its height and bulk will be modified and the observation deck removed.

Mr Chan expected the capital cost will be adjusted downward from the original estimate of $1.8 billion as the height and bulk of the new structure will be cut.