Hong Kong environment chief allays fears of developing country parks for housing

Wong Kam-sing says policy to conserve green spaces is in place, following earlier remarks by members of land supply task force

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The housing crunch in Hong Kong has raised issues about land use and conserving green spaces. Photo: Reuters/Bobby Yip

Published: 6:09pm, 2 Sep 2017Updated: 10:55pm, 2 Sep 2017

Hong Kong’s environment secretary on Saturday played down concerns that the city’s country parks would be developed for housing and said the government had a policy in place to conserve such areas.

Speaking on a radio programme, Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing addressed fears sparked by remarks from members of a new land supply task force. He said the administration maintained its policy of supporting the conservation of rural areas, including country parks.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor had appointed the 30-strong Task Force on Land Supply last Tuesday, aiming to engage communities in a debate and gain public consensus on how to tackle the city’s housing crunch.

Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing. Photo: Edward Wong

Critics had pointed out that at least five members in the task force had a track record of supporting the development of country parks.

Last week, two members of the group, Stephen Wong Yuen-shan and Lau Chun-kong, had said they could study developing the boundary areas of country parks, raising concerns about encroaching development on the limited green spaces in the city.

“It’s too early to say whether the task force will address country parks, and to what extent ... But we have an established policy to conserve such spaces,” Wong said on Saturday.