Returned migrants want to rebuild ancestral homes
Illegal road building and tree clearing in Lai Pek Shan, inside a country park, was done at the behest of people who say they are descendants of indigenous residents of the long-deserted village that once stood on the site.
They plan to rebuild the village on the site, which lies partly within Pat Sin Leng Country Park, with the aid of a private developer.
The head of nearby Shan Liu village, Leung Pak-keung, who also claims to represent the deserted Lai Pek Shan village, said villagers had recently returned from overseas to claim their ancestral land rights.
But the lack of road access to the village - once a prosperous place with paddy fields cut into the hillside - had made it difficult to resettle, he said.
'The roadworks are doing good for the village communities,' Mr Leung said. 'As the village head, this is something I have always dreamed of. Even firemen fighting a hill fire in Pat Sin Leng used the road last month and they were so glad to see it.'