Letters | How Hong Kong’s Carrie Lam can win with Lantau Tomorrow vision: make it a model for clarity

I refer to the article, “Housing to be built on Fanling golf course, Hong Kong government confirms” (February 20). It is delightful to see the government endorse and outline implementation plans for several recommendations stipulated by the Task Force on Land Supply. While I fully support the government for its courage to execute these short-term policies, Hongkongers must wake up to the multiple possibilities offered by reclamation.

I agree with the task force report that reclamation is the most effective in mitigating land shortage. Planning and execution of both near-shore reclamation and the Lantau Tomorrow Vision should not be delayed, for the sake of future generations.

I find it shocking that most young people do not support reclamation. Being part of the millennial generation, I value environmental conservation, and I understand the risks of “throwing money into the sea”. But history shows that the success of Hong Kong in the past decades would not have been possible without reclamation – Sha Tin, Tseung Kwan O and even Central are examples. We have no better option than to align with the chief executive and trust in her efforts to minimise the potential risks.

Meanwhile, we should expect to encounter difficulties when executing short-term measures, such as converting brownfield sites and using private farmland. Their scattered distribution and the burden development there would add to current transport systems are just some of the obstacles.