Publisher's Synopsis
Notwithstanding the recent economic and financial difficulties encountered in the Asia Pacific region, Hong Kong has experienced phenomenal economic growth and physical transformation as the "gateway to China" during the 1980s and 1990s. This growth enabled the territory to finance studies, real estate developments and mega transport infrastructure projects on such an extensive scale that it has become the envy of the region. So much so that many of the experiences of the transport infrastructure and land use development in the territory become models for other cities in the region. The successes and failures of these plans and projects have thus taken on a significance that go beyond Hong Kong's territorial boundaries. As a result of the dominant role played by an efficient and financially viable public transport system, the prevalence of a low motor vehicle ownership level, and the existence of a compact and high density urban structure, many international experts suggest that Hong Kong has a great deal to offer in the global search for sustainable urban development and transport strategies.;In part, the purpose of this book is to establish the extent this is so. The scope of the book, however, covers much more than this. It offers an insight into how land use/transport planning exercises for the territory were prepared and how decisions emerged from them during the most economically active period in Hong Kong's history up to its hand over to the People's Republic of China in 1997. Many of the contributors to the book are individuals that worked on the plans and projects cited which has the potential to make the publication a very useful historical document. The book is expected to be of interest to students, academics, professionals and government officials concerned with the built environment, and others in the private sector involved in transport, urban development and environmental protection.
