Speaker Luncheon Series II - International Experts Share Experience in Harbour Development
a) London's riverside - past, present, future.
By Mr. Richard Brown, Head of Thames Gateway and Urban Projects, Greater London Authority
London is growing faster than at any time for fifty years, and is consolidating its position as the leading financial and business centre of Europe. But problems – of environmental quality, transport congestion, and social and environmental inequality – persist. Mr. Brown set out London's strategic context, and the policies and delivery mechanisms that aim to deliver the city's strategic plan.
Key points:
| 。 | The need to link a fragmented riverside, "preserved" industrial sites - to understand linkages and integration complexity. |
| 。 | A framework for Principles of development and a framework for Design. |
| 。 | Look forward to 2016 (ie Long Term) with plans and diagrams and with selection of new 'hubs' already made. |
| 。 | The need to manage co-locations ('housing' next to 'waste management'). |
| 。 | Must fight off temptation to bite off prime sites, leaving sites in between disjointed and under-developed. |
| 。 | Allow development to take place but don't let it 'rip'! |
| 。 | Understand scale and take the long term view. |
b) Regeneration of Melbourne Docklands
By Mr. Mark Allan, General Manager of Environment and Design, VicUrban
Melbourne Docklands is Australia's largest waterfront urban renewal project, comprising 160 hectares of developable land and 40 hectares of water. VicUrban is the State Government of Victoria's agency facilitating the private sector development of seven mixed-use precincts with an estimated value of AUD$9 billion (HKD$53 billion).
Key points:
| 。 | True partnership between government and the Private sector. |
| 。 | A long term plan (1998-2020) - costing AUD9+ billion, funded 90:1 by the Private sector. |
| 。 | Need 'events' to bring people in - safety and accessibility key. |
| 。 | Cities have a 24 hour lifestyle - need to blend/co-habit to create vibrancy. |
| 。 | 10 key Principles - adopted without hesitation and without compromise. |
| 。 | The '30 meters' rule - no arguments - developers MUST deliver public space to the city. |
| 。 | Prepared to re-route major highways to create suitable, developable space. |
| 。 | A 'framework' against which all development proposals are rigorously assessed. |
| 。 | Private developers see value in adding generous public space. |
| 。 | Lessons learned - vision shared; working partnerships. |