Residents of Wan Chai's "mid-levels" are gearing up for another fight .More than a decade after resisting Hopewell's proposed Mega Tower project in the area, residents are fighting plans to redevelop a tiny church and primary school in the quiet neighborhood into a multi-story mega building.
St James' church and primary school, which sits on a 3,700 square-meter site on Kennedy Road, is set to be redeveloped into a "three-in-one" 15-story building to hold a church, a primary school and a community service center, according to residents who obtained the information from a public document.
The residents had opposed the Hopewell project for fear it would have a wall effect and restrict airflow in the area, as well as cause traffic chaos - the same concerns they have on the mega building plans.
Residents' spokesman Mak Kwai- sing said they were unaware of the redevelopment project until informed by a contractor in April that the old building was being torn down.
The Education Bureau said the Wan Chai District Council had been "duly consulted" in July 2008 before it sought funding approval from the Legislative Council in February 2009.
However, several Wan Chai district councilors said they had neither approved nor disapproved the plan.
"When the Education Bureau and St James' Settlement presented the project to us, they focused on school redevelopment without telling much about the service center and the church," councillor Wong Wang-tai said.
According to the co
uncil vice chairman Stephen Ng Kam-chun, it did not have enough information about the project during the meeting to give any support. "The bureau should not have interpreted in a way that, if we had no objection, we therefore agreed to the project. As a matter of fact, we were unable to come up with any decision to support or oppose the project since we did not have enough information," Ng said.
There is no legal requirement for St James' Settlement to obtain approval for the redevelopment from Town Planning Board or the district council.
But Wong said: "As a matter of courtesy and for harmony in the neighborhood, shouldn't St James' Settlement also present to us the full picture of the project and listen to its neighbors when thinking of such a big project?"
The councillors will write to the Development Bureau to "clarify" the council's position.
Wong has also arranged a meeting for residents and St James' Settlement tomorrow morning in the hope the issue can be resolved.
However, St James' Settlement said the redevelopment is designed to meet social needs and educational requirements in the district.
A spokesman said it also consulted the District Council last summer and notified residents in April.
