Culture bureau requests shipyard demolition to pause

The Cultural Affairs Bureau has requested the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) to halt its demolition of the shipyards in Lai Chi Vun Village in Coloane, while it is initiating assessment procedures to determine whether the site should be listed as part of the city’s cultural heritage.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, the president of the Bureau, Leung Hio Ming, said the initiative of the evaluation is based on a public petition from the society that gathered over 670 signatures.
Nevertheless, the official added that the assessment can only be officially kicked off when new members of the city’s Cultural Heritage Committee are appointed next month, expecting the whole procedure will be completed in one year.
The public works department has planned with the Marine and Water Bureau to demolish 11 shipyards in Coloane in order to turn the village into a leisure and tourist area.
With two of the shipyards having been demolished at the beginning of these months, the cultural bureau head admitted yesterday that would affect the department’s evaluation of the site.
However, he believes that the Bureau would be able to rebuild the shipyards if needed in the future, due to its possession of the drawings for the establishments.
The official notes that the halt request of the demolition will not affect DSSOPT’s development plan in Coloane village.