Artist’s impression of the new development: three new buildings connected by a sky garden called “Horizon Park”

Only two of six development tenders for the prime central harbourfront land known as “Site 3” met minimum standards for price and design quality, the government has revealed, with a $50.8 billion bid from a subdisiary of Henderson Land ultimately winning the tender today.

Henderson’s Pacific Gate Development gained the highest marks under the unique “two envelope” scheme, a tender arrangement seeking to take both design and dollars into consideration when choosing the winner.

Pacific Gate’s proposal involves three new buildings, two of them office towers, with a sky garden connecting the three and public space of 25,000 square metres.

The project will replace Edinburgh Place car park and the General Post Office as well as vacant land between Lung Wo Road and the harbourfront.

“The public will be able to enjoy panoramic views of the Central cityscape and Victoria Harbour from there. The platform, to be greened as an urban forest, will provide a lawn, jogging routes and outdoor space for public use. The proposal also provides a pedestrian network to link up the existing routes in Central, connecting its hinterland with the harbourfront and the vicinity. There will be a pedestrian connection with Central MTR Station,” says a government press release.

Development Bureau says the development of the site has taken “years of preparation”.

“Following two stages of extensive public engagement, the Urban Design Study for the New Central Harbourfront was completed in 2011. Subsequently, the Town Planning Board (TPB) approved the Planning Brief for the site in 2016, which provided important guidance for the development parameters and design guidelines for the site and the basis for this tender,” says the government.

The whole project must be completed by the end of 2032.

The project will see Hong Kong’s General Post Office razed to make room for new buildings