Developing brownfield land the size of nearly 1,200 soccer pitches should be Hong Kong government’s priority: urban planning group
Liber Research Community spent the past year mapping brownfield sites – such as open car parks, storage depots and recycling yards – across Hong Kong using geographical information tools like Google Earth and Google Maps.
The government should introduce a policy to prioritise the development of more than 1,200 hectares of brownfield site land in the city, an urban planning concern group said yesterday.
Liber Research Community spent the past year mapping brownfield sites – such as open car parks, storage depots and recycling yards – across Hong Kong using geographical information tools like Google Earth and Google Maps.
It found 1,192 hectares of brownfield sites spread out across nine areas in Yuen Long, Tuen Mun and the North District – equivalent to more than 1,192 soccer pitches.
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“We need a comprehensive policy framework on brownfield land, but the government doesn’t have one,” said Chan Kim-ching, one of the researchers.
He said the government should always develop and unveil initiatives to restore brownfield sites first and find ways to transform the existing industries to be more environmentally friendly.
Chan also criticised the government for failing to engage with green groups properly, resorting to indirect exchanges on internet blogs.