Luxury hotel Heritage 1881 called on by Hong Kong government to save 100-year-old tree felled by Typhoon Mangkhut

Lands Department says developer already said it might have to remove giant banyan, but urges it to exhaust all possible means to save it

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The tree stood at the former marine police headquarters for more than 100 years. Photo: May Tse

Published: 11:46am, 21 Sep 2018Updated: 5:36pm, 21 Sep 2018

A luxury hotel and shopping site in Hong Kong was called upon by the government to exhaust all possible means to save a century-old tree on its land, which was knocked over as Typhoon Mangkhut swept through the city.

But the Lands Department said the owner, a subsidiary of developer CK Asset Holdings, had earlier told officials it might have to remove the giant banyan, to ensure public safety.

The tree, at the Heritage 1881 site in Tsim Sha Tsui, had stood at the former marine police headquarters for more than 100 years. It was just one of nearly 15,000 trees which were felled or seriously damaged as the typhoon battered the city on Sunday.

The department went to inspect the tree on Monday and found it uprooted. It contacted the developer and its contractors and learned they were evaluating the banyan’s condition, and trying to save it.

It said on Thursday night that CK Asset Holdings said on the Monday it might remove the tree if necessary, to ensure public safety.

“The department has appealed to the developer and its commissioned professionals that they should exhaust all means to rescue the tree,” the department spokesman said.