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BreakingviewsHong Kong-on-Thames lies in not-too-distant future
Karen Kwok
7 minute read
A picture is taken in Convoys Wharf, a riverside site in Deptford in London, Britain, February 14, 2021.
On the south bank of the River Thames in London, halfway between London Bridge and Greenwich, is a plot of land that has been deserted for about 15 years. A heavily guarded fence is the only clue for passing pedestrians that the derelict 17-hectare site is potentially valuable. If all goes to plan, however, it could soon become a high-profile symbol of Hong Kongâs growing influence in the British capital.
For CK Asset (1113.HK), the plot known as Convoys Wharf is a long-term bet. The $22 billion property group founded by Li Ka-shing, Hong Kongâs best-known tycoon, spent years fighting for approvals to build homes there after purchasing the former Royal Navy base for 100 million pounds in 2005. Permission came through last July, just as Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a new
Many of these are believed to be EU nationals.
The exodus has prompted fears by the hospitality and retail industries that it could lead to a labour shortage in London just as the economy prepares to open up.
“All the evidence we’ve had, anecdotally but also evidence from some of the businesses we’ve spoken to, is these are boomerang Londoners, they’re going to come back and that’s why it’s really important to get the recovery right,” Sadiq Khan said.
“What we don’t want, it would be the worst of all worlds, is if businesses have an employment shortage, which doesn’t make sense at all.
Tower hungry: City of London’s high-rise appetite is as fierce as ever
Will Ing investigates why so many are still being built
The City of London’s appetite for more steel-and-glass skyscrapers shows no sign of relenting, unaffected by either the global pandemic or the climate emergency.
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In the first few months of this year, three office towers, all taller than 145m, were approved by the City of London Corporation. They join three consented towers given the green light in the past few years – two of which are more than 250m tall, plus a further three under construction and another two in the planning process.