Conflicts, Partnership and Owners' Participation in Urban Regeneration: A Study of Land Readjustment in Hong Kong

Redevelopment projects in Hong Kong are often hindered by thorny land assembly processes, while this problem is solved using the concept of land readjustment (LR) in other countries. In a LR process, existing owners surrender their property rights to an agent and become stakeholders of a land development project, and they will be given the respective property rights on the project's completion. In theory, not only can LR open up the possibilities of more efficient operation of land assembly, fairer allocation of redevelopment benefits, and enhanced owners' participation, but also it can provide local authorities with a solution to the question of finance. Yet, the applicability of the LR concept to a high development density context in Hong Kong remains questionable. Therefore, this research explores the applicability of the concept of LR in Hong Kong. The research results will help local public administrators to formulate more informed strategies for facilitating redevelopments.