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The view from Hung Shui Kiu northeast towards Ping Shan, where the Liber Research Community concern group has identified the largest brownfield cluster in the New Territories. Photo: Roy Issa

Hong Kong’s housing crisis has an easy solution: develop brownfields, leave natural assets alone

With the public consultation on land use being launched today, Greenpeace believes the Hong Kong government is overstating the land supply urgency for housing, in order to plunder natural assets. 
According to the Hong Kong 2030 Plus blueprint, the city would need an extra 1,206 hectares of land
But, if the government puts public interest first, it can certainly employ the Lands Resumption Ordinance to take back brownfields, as a way to resolve the housing problem for people in need. 
The land use public consultation should focus on developing brownfields, whereas natural resources are untouchable assets.

In addition to brownfields, just developing the golf course in Fanling in the medium and long term is one solution for the housing problem straight away. Greenpeace doesn’t see any need to exploit country parks, the sea or farmlands in the medium term. 

What to expect when public consultation begins to deal with Hong Kong’s 1,200 hectare land shortage 

According to government estimates, the Task Force on Land Supply has to find 800 hectares before 2026. But the land to be set aside for public housing can be covered by the development of brownfields and golf courses.

Hong Kong does not lack land. Just in the New Territories there are 723 hectares of brownfield, such as in Wang Toi Shan, Pat Heung and Ki Lun Tsuen, which are not included in the development plan. 

The government’s claim of facing judicial reviews if it tries to take back brownfields is a weak argument, as so far there are no precedents related to that at all.

‘Careless’ task force slammed for neglecting land that could hold 84,000 flats in Hong Kong

In 2017, the government ignored the judicial review submitted by the public when it tried to use the green belt at Tai Wo Ping to develop private housing. The tendering process of selling the land continued alongside the court proceedings.
The government should not use the excuse of people living in crowded, small and expensive places to justify its move to make a bigger pie. How to make the right pie is the key issue. 

Hence the historic unjust planning, that is skewed to favour the privileged when tackling the housing problem, must be corrected.

Andy Chu, campaigner, Greenpeace

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Developing brownfields is the answer to our housing crisis, not plundering natural assets
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