Mass transit railway, transit-oriented development and spatial justice: The competition for prime residential locations in Hong Kong since the 1980s

Sylvia Y. He; Sui Tao; Yuting Hou; Wenhua Jiang

doi:10.3828/tpr.2018.31

Mass transit railway, transit-oriented development and spatial justice: The competition for prime residential locations in Hong Kong since the 1980s

Sylvia Y. He, Sui Tao, Yuting Hou, Wenhua Jiang

Research output: Journal article publication › Review article › Academic research › peer-review

41 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system has been widely acclaimed for its unique 'rail-plus-property' (R+P) model of operation. However, MTR projects, like other transit-oriented development (TOD) projects, have been under scrutiny as a catalyst for land-price appreciation and gentrification. In this study, we aim to examine the impact of new MTR lines on the spatial distribution of public and private housing estates across Hong Kong since the 1980s. Drawing on housing, transport and census data, we reveal that local improvement in accessibility due to the expansion of the MTR network has attracted private residential developments. This implies that low-income households might have been gradually squeezed out of such prime locations. Based on our findings, we propose recommendations on urban development under the TOD model, with a view to making Hong Kong and other transit cities more socially and spatially just.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	467-493
Number of pages	27
Journal	Town Planning Review
Volume	89
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3828/tpr.2018.31
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2018

Keywords

Accessibility
Hong Kong
Private development
Public housing
Residential location
Spatial justice
Transit-oriented development
Urban rail

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geography, Planning and Development
Urban Studies

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.3828/tpr.2018.31

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abstract = "Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system has been widely acclaimed for its unique 'rail-plus-property' (R+P) model of operation. However, MTR projects, like other transit-oriented development (TOD) projects, have been under scrutiny as a catalyst for land-price appreciation and gentrification. In this study, we aim to examine the impact of new MTR lines on the spatial distribution of public and private housing estates across Hong Kong since the 1980s. Drawing on housing, transport and census data, we reveal that local improvement in accessibility due to the expansion of the MTR network has attracted private residential developments. This implies that low-income households might have been gradually squeezed out of such prime locations. Based on our findings, we propose recommendations on urban development under the TOD model, with a view to making Hong Kong and other transit cities more socially and spatially just.",

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AU - Jiang, Wenhua

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to thank the editor (Prof. David Shaw) and two anonymous reviewers for providing constructive comments. This research was supported by the CUHK Social Science Collaborative Research Fund (SS14461). Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Liverpool University Press. All rights reserved.

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Mass transit railway, transit-oriented development and spatial justice: The competition for prime residential locations in Hong Kong since the 1980s

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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