Olga Wong – Updated on Mar 18, 2008 – SCMP
An environmental group is asking residents of a Mid-Levels development to request that a developer lower the density of a proposed two-tower, 50-storey project before they sell their flats to the consortium.
Merry Terrace in Seymour Road – five 14-storey buildings – will be turned into the 50-storey redevelopment if most of the flat owners agree to sell. Reports said most residents had agreed to sell to the consortium, formed by Shun Tak Holdings and New World Development.
Green Sense said the redevelopment – and a neighbouring site owned by Swire – would worsen traffic and air pollution. Gabrielle Ho Ka-po, of Green Sense, said the organisation had written to Merry Terrace residents hoping they would help ease development stress in Mid-Levels.
The Shun Tak-New World consortium is believed to have acquired the bid for HK$3.95 billion. Shun Tak Holdings would not confirm yesterday whether the company had acquired the bid.
Given a plot ratio of nine, a plan for the redevelopment – two 44-storey buildings with six-level podiums – was approved last November.
“The developer is willing to pay a handsome price because it will profit from building the giant towers,” said Ms Ho.