Against the grain of Hong Kong development, can a sawmill live on in New Territories village intended for housing?
- In the second of a three-part series on the impact of a government new-town development plan on the affected rural areas in the city’s north, the Post spoke to the owner of a sawmill that is the last of its kind
The 10,000 sq ft plant, at least two floors high, was dim and cool like a thick forest, most of the sunlight blocked by huge piles of logs and wooden boards stacked from floor to ceiling.
Those hundreds of pieces of timber – at least 1,200 tonnes of wood – could all end up in Hong Kong’s overflowing landfills if the sawmill cannot be relocated, as it makes way for a government plan to develop new towns in the rural areas of Fanling North and Kwu Tung North.
“We hope the government can give us more time to process the timber; maybe two to three years,” said Wong Hung-kuen, the second-generation owner of Chi Kee Sawmill and Timber in Kwu Tung. “It’s better than throwing all the wood into landfill.”
It is the newest twist in Chi Kee’s long history. Founded in 1948, it has already moved five times – all due to government developments – between North Point, Chai Wan and its current home.
This time the mill will have to make way for housing and recreational facilities under the first phase of the new-town project. The initial redevelopment will also affect about 450 households, which face eviction starting from the second half of this year.