Ma On Shan waterfront development site is viable, planning officer insists
Councillors claim Ma On Shan development would block wind corridor and fear high-rise would stand on geologically unsuitable ground
A proposed high-rise block of 800 public flats on the Ma On Shan waterfront is viable, a planning officer has insisted, despite claims it would stand in a key air ventilation corridor.
The government wants to rezone the site, currently zoned as open space and used as a car park, to allow the 39-storey residential building.
The rezoning is part of the government's plan to build 480,000 new flats within 10 years. A total of 11 sites in Sha Tin, including the waterfront site, have been identified for rezoning.
At a meeting of Sha Tin District Council yesterday, most councillors opposed the proposal, saying a cavity has been identified underground, which they claimed cast doubt on geological conditions. Councillors also argued the site stands in a ventilation corridor.
"I just don't understand this. Why is the government planning to build houses in the middle of the ventilation corridor? A cavity has also been identified there," said councillor Michael Yung Ming-chau.
He said the proposed building is 120 metres high, while the existing buildings nearby are only about 80 metres tall. This would create ventilation problems, he added. Yung also highlighted fears residents may face unexpected maintenance costs as the site was not geologically suitable for development.
"The government is looking for land blindly," he added.