Land reclamation is not the answer to public housing shortage

Passions were running high last Saturday as government officials met the public for the second stage of consultation on reclamation in Hong Kong waters.

Large-scale development is understandably a touchy subject, and none more so than in the government's updated proposal for reclamation at five sites, the majority of which is intended for Hong Kong's western waters and coastline. This is an area already congested with big plans, with the likes of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the proposed third runway. It is also home to Hong Kong's iconic pink dolphin.

It is not surprising that few at the packed community hall in Tsing Yi held back with their comments. There were those who harked back to Hong Kong's history of reclamation, which gave birth to the numerous new towns that exist today. Others claimed that a more efficient use of existing sites - adapting degraded or underutilised areas - would provide sufficient land.

But the question on everyone's lips was: how will the reclaimed land be used?

While a broad spectrum of people were present at the public forum, from green groups to the fisherfolk, from members of the post-80s generation to those in their 50s, the common thread was a genuine wish to resolve some of Hong Kong's persistent social problems, chief of which is the unaffordability of housing.

However, the public should not be duped into thinking that reclamation can offer a remedy.

The current vision for reclamation is to build up land reserves and allow for comprehensive planning. Plans offered so far include only one site, out of five, that may be suitable for residential housing. The rest are intended for business, entertainment and ports development. Reclamation is only likely to contribute slightly, and in the distant future, to the gaping public housing shortage that Hong Kong currently faces.