Hong Kong, Shenzhen multibillion-dollar land reclamation plans may be on collision course
- The vast resources needed for Hong Kong’s Lantau Tomorrow Vision project could clash with Shenzhen’s plan to build a maritime hub also on reclaimed land
- Limited resources could drive costs of both projects higher, particularly the Lantau scheme championed by Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor
Industry experts and academics have warned attempting to undertake two major land reclamation's in Hong Kong and Shenzhen at the same time could strain the resources of the Greater Bay Area, ultimately increasing the costs of the already multibillion-dollar projects.
Hong Kong’s controversial Lantau Tomorrow Vision development project, in particular, already faces daunting cost estimates, which could be further increased if it does not have access to abundant supplies of relatively cheap landfill material.
Competition with Shenzhen for those supplies could create a major cost overrun for the project, which was disclosed by Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in her annual policy speech in October.
The Lantau scheme, covering reclamation of 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) from the sea, involves the construction of artificial islands off Lantau Island in western Hong Kong.
The official blueprint for the GBA will only be revealed in early 2019, and will outline Beijing’s grand plan to integrate Hong Kong, Macau and nine southern mainland cities – Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Huizhou, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing – into one huge megacity.