Hong Kong’s housing crisis has an easy solution: develop brownfields, leave natural assets alone

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The view from Hung Shui Kiu northeast towards Ping Shan, where the Liber Research Community concern group has identified the largest brownfield cluster in the New Territories. Photo: Roy Issa

Published: 3:59pm, 26 Apr 2018Updated: 12:34pm, 15 Oct 2020

With the public consultation on land use being launched today, Greenpeace believes the Hong Kong government is overstating the land supply urgency for housing, in order to plunder natural assets.

According to the Hong Kong 2030 Plus blueprint, the city would need an extra 1,206 hectares of land.

But, if the government puts public interest first, it can certainly employ the Lands Resumption Ordinance to take back brownfields, as a way to resolve the housing problem for people in need.

The land use public consultation should focus on developing brownfields, whereas natural resources are untouchable assets.

In addition to brownfields, just developing the golf course in Fanling in the medium and long term is one solution for the housing problem straight away. Greenpeace doesn’t see any need to exploit country parks, the sea or farmlands in the medium term.

What to expect when public consultation begins to deal with Hong Kong’s 1,200 hectare land shortage

According to government estimates, the Task Force on Land Supply has to find 800 hectares before 2026. But the land to be set aside for public housing can be covered by the development of brownfields and golf courses.

Hong Kong’s housing crisis has an easy solution: develop brownfields, leave natural assets alone

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}What to expect when public consultation begins to deal with Hong Kong’s 1,200 hectare land shortage

What to expect when public consultation begins to deal with Hong Kong’s 1,200 hectare land shortage