HKIP - Comments on the Demolition of Century-old Underground Cistern at Bishop Hill in Shek Kip Mei

The Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP)
Comments on the Demolition of Century-old Underground Cistern
at Bishop Hill in Shek Kip Mei

HKIP’s comments regarding the demolition of Bishop Hill cistern are as follows:

1.      We appreciate the Government’s decision to halt the demolition of Bishop Hill cistern because of its heritage significance.

2.      Yet, this incidence clearly reflects that the current heritage conservation mechanism especially the identification and assessment of buildings, structures, and sites of historical interest is inadequate or defective. 

3.      The Government should review relevant institutional setup, from Antiquities Advisory Board and Antiquities and Monuments Office’s role on identifying, recording and researching on buildings and items of historical interest, to Building Authority and Town Planning Board’s role on the development control on identified as well as potential sites or buildings with heritage values, so that what happened today would not be repeated and we would not miss out / damage another gem with historical value in the future.  HKIP is prepared to actively participate in the review process.

4.      Bishop Hill cistern shall be adaptively and innovatively reused through proactive public engagement, as the topside of the cistern has been used as community space for years.  Community aspirations on the functional needs along with the look and feel of the site could then become the design brief, and public design competition could be conducted as the next step to solicit innovative and creative design concepts for the adaptive reuse of the site.

5.      While part of the Bishop Hill cistern has already been ruined, replicating the historical structure with modern materials that resemble the old structure is not supported.  Professional advice from heritage conservation experts should be sought during the restoration process.

Public Affairs Committee
The Hong Kong Institute of Planners
January 2021