Members of Hong Kong’s Town Planning Board have expressed concern that a famed flower market will lose its “spirit” under a redevelopment plan, despite agreeing the scheme may help to revitalise the area.
They made the comments on Wednesday when the board, a statutory body that assesses land use applications, held its first public hearing on Mong Kok’s Sai Yee Street and Flower Market Road development scheme.
Board member Wong Woon-chung said he hoped the characteristics of the market could be incorporated into the plan.
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
“The renewal plan can help society move forward although it is without the spirit [of the flower market],” he said.
Wong added that he did not want the project to resemble the revitalisation of Lee Tung Street in Wan Chai, which critics said had failed to preserve the area’s characteristics.
It was previously known as “Wedding Card Street” with such businesses lining the road. But the area is mostly filled with restaurants after redevelopment.
The Urban Renewal Authority last March announced the plan to redevelop 31 buildings aged between 64 and 76 years in the area near the flower market, affecting about 275 households and 33 ground-floor shops.
The site at Sai Yee Street and Prince Edward Road West is set to become a residential and commercial complex with up to 44 storeys and providing 1,350 flats.
The renewal plan is part of a broader initiative to redevelop the district. The entire project is expected to be completed around 2035 and cost about HK$2.5 billion (US$322 million).
Another board member, Chan Yuen-sau, said she hoped the authority could incorporate more local characteristics and help the flower market merchants.
“Can we be more innovative and creative?” she said, adding that it would be a sign of success if the revitalised area could attract tourists from the Greater Bay Area.
Meanwhile, residents in a concern group said the plan would destroy the integrity of the flower market while negatively affecting the community.
They also suggested that the old buildings at 38 to 48 Flower Market Road should be included in the redevelopment plan.
“Buildings located in that area are dilapidated and in need of attention,” the Flower Market Concern Group said.
The authority told the board that the renewal plan would blend old and new elements, saying the market had also started evolving, pointing to a cafe there that also sold flowers.
The Planning Department said it had arranged a two-day hearing, with 30 to 40 representatives assigned to each day. The department said 24 representatives spoke on Wednesday.
More from South China Morning Post:
- ‘Devoid of character’: vendors criticise plan to revamp Hong Kong flower market
- Mong Kok flower market set for partial makeover in Hong Kong renewal project, with new canal to link up public leisure spaces
For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2025.
