My Take | Lantau today is better than the government’s plans for Lantau tomorrow
- The Lantau Tomorrow Vision project will be built off the coast of a jewel in the city’s crown. For many Hongkongers, this project just feels wrong
Hong Kong is best known for its stunning skyline on either side of the harbour. But for many residents, the appeal of the leafy outlying islands, a short boat trip away, trumps the crowded streets and frenetic pace of life in town.
I only lasted a few months on Hong Kong Island before moving to Lantau, where I lived for 28 years, before returning to the UK in August. The view across the sea to the distant skyscrapers from first Mui Wo and later Discovery Bay was a joy. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to see it every day.
But such views will soon dramatically change if the government’s plans for the building of a vast new business centre off the Lantau coast proceeds.
The Lantau Tomorrow Vision project will see three artificial platforms built on reclaimed land in the vicinity of the pretty little island of Peng Chau. The new district will span 1,000 hectares and is intended to provide homes for half a million people. It will, of course, also boast swathes of office space. There will be railways, roads and transport interchanges.
Hong Kong is in desperate need of more affordable housing. It is a disgrace that so many people still live in tiny subdivided flats or notorious cage homes, with a wait of more than five years for public housing.