Hong Kong flower market redevelopment plans could take bloom off unique atmosphere, critics say, but URA insists proposals guarantee its future

Urban Renewal Authority insists redevelopment plan will not ‘destroy’ Mong Kok flower market’s charm, but improve business for traders and the city economy

But former chief executive CY Leung says better understanding of traders’ needs needed, rather than ‘relying solely on financial incentives’

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Mong Kok’s famous flower market, which is earmarked for redevelopment by the Urban Renewal Authority. Photo: Elson Li

Published: 6:30pm, 24 Mar 2024Updated: 9:31pm, 24 Mar 2024

Redevelopment of Hong Kong’s famous flower market in Mong Kok will not “destroy” its charm, but improve the environment for traders and contribute to the site’s long-term future, the head of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has said.

Wai Chi-sing, the managing director of the authority, emphasised on Sunday that plans to revamp the area to bring it up to date was its best chance to guarantee sustainable development.

But a florists’ representative said he and many fellow vendors he knew were not consulted. He also questioned the need for a large-scale redevelopment.

Wai said in a blog post that the proposals to revitalise the Mong Kok market would benefit traders because private developers did not as a rule offer better compensation or relocation packages than the URA and that consultation had been carried out.

“Just imagine if the buildings are not redeveloped by the URA in an orderly manner, but get picked up by private developers for their separate development projects, how would it affect the integrity of the market?” Wai asked.

“Not only would shop tenants not receive compensation assistance from the URA, let alone the option of transitional or relocation operations under such circumstances, but how could the atmosphere and characteristics of the flower market be preserved and continued?”