Green group urges rethink over Tseung Kwan O public housing plan
Conservancy Association says an environmental report on the area missed several rare species of vegetation
An environmental group has accused the government of underestimating the ecological value of green belt sites earmarked for housing development in Tseung Kwan O, citing valuable trees and a fragile ecosystem in the area.
The accusation came as the Conservancy Association found the government’s proposal to rezone five sites, covering green belts and community uses, for public housing development.
Green belts, located on the fringe of urban settlements, are used as zones to prevent cities and towns from encroaching on environmentally sensitive areas.
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But the plan was approved by the Executive Council, a top official advisory body, and it is now under public consultation by the Town Planning Board, which will end this Wednesday.
The five sites are located in the north of Tseung Kwan O Village, the northwest of Ying Yip Road, the south of Chiu Shun Road, the west of Yau Yue Wan Village and east of Hong Kong Movie City.
A total of 11,260 flats are expected to be built for 31,530 residents, if the plan is approved.
But the green group said the development project would affect 11.4 hectares of vegetation and fell more than 15,000 trees, including an ecologically valued species that had been overlooked in an environmental report, commissioned by the Civil Engineering and Development Department. The report served as a reference for the deliberations of the relevant government bodies.