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Villagers and other supporters obstruct workers from carrying out Henderson Land Development's project in Ma Tin Pok village, Yuen Long, yesterday. Photo: David Wong

Yuen Long villagers block Lee Shau-kee's charity housing project

Yuen Long farmer demands compensation from billionaire Lee Shau-kee before he will allow any work to begin on subsidised flats development

Fanny Fung

Property tycoon Lee Shau-kee's plan to donate a Yuen Long agricultural site to the Housing Society met new obstacles yesterday as members of a farming family and their supporters blocked ground-investigation work.

Farmer Chan Wai-ming, 54, and the Henderson Land Development chairman were at odds last night after a day-long stand-off over whether there had been any violence and whether the two sides had struck a deal.

Lee's workers have been trying since last week to start investigation works on the section of the site not occupied by Chan. But they have been stopped by the farmer, who demands to be compensated with an alternative site.

The dispute escalated yesterday when Chan, who has lived with his family on the 20,000 sq ft Tin Heung Garden on Shap Pat Heung Road for two decades, stood in front of a car from the developer's side.

About 60 people supporting the farmer, including university students and members of a concern group, went to help him. Some climbed onto a bulldozer that was about to start work.

"[The workers] came at about 9am with about 20 young men, all with dyed blonde hair, to scare us off," Chan said last night.

"There were scuffles … They pushed me. We didn't report it to the police."

A spokeswoman for Lee denied that any violence had occurred and said the developer's side called police after Chan blocked the workers from conducting their investigation.

"About 20 uniformed security guards accompanied our workers … We have been talking with Mr Chan to find a solution acceptable to both sides. No one used violence at all," she said.

The spokeswoman said last night they had "just now" reached a consensus with Chan.

"He has accepted our proposal and agreed to let our works start tomorrow. We are very happy that the matter has been resolved," she said. She declined to disclose the deal, adding that it was a compassionate offer and not compensation.

But Chan vowed to continue the protest.

"There is nothing in black and white. How can you trust just some talking? … I will lie on the road if their car comes again tomorrow," the farmer said.

Police said last night they had received a report and no arrests had been made.

The farm is part of a 63,000 sq ft site that the Henderson Land chairman plans to donate to develop subsidised housing for young people.

Earlier, both sides claimed ownership of the land but the District Court ruled in March in favour of the developer.

Elsa Ko, a member of the Ma Tin Pok Village Concern Group and one of Chan's supporters, said the developer had offered several sites in Ngau Tam Mei and Pat Heung but they were in areas that lacked facilities.

 

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Villagers block tycoon's charity housing project
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