政壇：睇社論學英文：活化工廈未見利 助長炒風先見害

港府為騰出水務署旺角辦事處的珍貴地皮，計劃斥資一億七千萬元購入新界西一幢工廈，改為水務署辦事處，沒想到隨着港府推出活化工廈政策，加上出辣招打擊炒樓，導致炒家轉炒工廈，掀起炒風，呎價暴升，部分工廈業主開價高於港府出價逾倍，購買工廈計劃面臨觸礁。遷移水務署旺角辦事處計劃好事多磨，港府可謂搬起石頭砸自己的腳。

曾蔭權政府○九年推出活化工廈政策，沒有做好事前規劃，消息一出，投資者大舉在各區收購工廈，呎價急升，連帶租金亦水漲船高，租用工廈的本地創意文化工作者首當其衝，不但面對租金上升壓力，不少租戶更被迫遷。活化工廈原意是主要為創意文化產業提供廉宜空間，最終卻事與願違，適得其反。

港府數字顯示，實施活化工廈政策以來，共收到八十八宗申請，用途多為酒店、辦公室、食肆、零售及服務業，極其量只是增加商業樓面面積，談不上如何扶助六大產業發展。另一方面，工廈整體售價與租金均持續攀升，○九年至今，售價指數累積升幅逾倍，足證活化工廈已淪為新興地產項目，背離靈活運用土地資源的政策目標。

Disadvantages precede advantages in the revitalization of industrial buildings

To vacate the precious site occupied by the Mongkok office of the Water Supplies Department (WSD), the Hong Kong Government plans to spend $170 million on the purchase of an industrial building in the Western New Territories in order to convert it into a new WSD office. However, with the Government's introduction of the policy to revitalise industrial buildings and the harsh measures to curb property speculation, speculators have turned their attention onto industrial buildings. As a result, the price of industrial buildings skyrockets; some of the unit owners in the industrial building the Government intends to buy raise their asking price to double that of the Government's offer. The Government's plan of relocating the WSD Mongkok office is likely to go on the rocks, and it appears that the Government has proverbially picked up a stone only to drop it on its own feet.

In 2009, the Donald Tsang Government launched, without proper advance planning, the policy to revitalise industrial buildings. After the news was released, investors swarmed to buy industrial buildings in all districts, leading to a sharp increase in their selling prices and rentals. The local creative-industry practitioners that had been renting industrial building units as studios bore the brunt. While some of them had to face the pressure of rising rentals, others were even forced to move out. The original intention of revitalising industrial buildings was to provide inexpensive space for creative-industry practitioners, but things turn out contrary to the Government's wishes.

Official data show that 88 applications have been received since the implementation of the policy. Most are proposals to convert industrial buildings into hotels, offices, restaurants, or retail and service spaces. The policy can only increase commercial floor areas at most; nurturing the development of the six major industries is out of the question. On the other hand, the selling prices and rentals of industrial buildings have been on the rise. Since 2009, the relevant selling price index has doubled, proving that the revitalisation of industrial buildings is reduced to a new real estate project and has departed from the policy intent of flexibly using land resources.

重要生字

go on the rocks 觸礁

pick up a stone only to drop it on one's own feet 搬起石頭砸自己的腳

things turn out contrary to one's wishes 事與願違