From crisis to conservation: a critical review of the intertwined economic and political factors driving built heritage conservation policy in Hong Kong and a possible way forward

This paper provides a deeper understanding of Hong Kong’s built heritage conservation policies as they have been developed during the city’s colonial and post-colonial periods, especially the political and social factors that have prompted and influenced their development and evolution. Initial observations and thoughts are derived from the authors’ extensive conservation involvement with UNESCO and local and overseas governments as well as their experience with some of Hong Kong’s key statutory boards and government committees that deal with built heritage conservation. Through their first-hand experience, coupled with extensive research, the authors argue that conservation policies in Hong Kong have not been created with a local vision, but instead have been catalysed by external factors, in particular, those relating to economics and politics. The paper concludes with a recommendation that Hong Kong should focus on social considerations in reshaping future conservation policy, as articulated in UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape approach.