Sino Land tycoon Robert Ng becomes first private developer in Hong Kong to back controversial plan to use part of Fanling golf course for flats
- Land supply task force recommended developing 32 hectares of prestigious 172-hectare course to provide 4,600 flats
- Asked for his view on proposal, Sino Land chairman says ‘I support it’
Property tycoon Robert Ng Chee Siong has given his backing to a controversial plan to rip up part of Fanling golf course to build flats as a way to ease Hong Kong’s housing shortage.
“I support it,” Ng said, when asked for his view on the proposal in Beijing on Sunday.
Asked to also comment on opposition to the scheme, he said: “Hong Kong is a free society. Everyone is entitled to their views. And for me, I support [the golf course plan].”
Ng was in the capital to attend the annual session of top advisory body the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
The task force also recommended developing brownfield sites and private farmland, and reclamation.
The government said it endorsed all of the task force’s recommendations.
The Fanling course, leased to the Hong Kong Golf Club by the government until August 2020 for about HK$2.4 million (US$305,740) a year, has come under fire from critics who say it occupies prime land for the benefit of a privileged few.
But the Hong Kong Alliance of Golfers, a lobby group formed by players, sports teams and celebrities, argued that the site should be left intact as it has been the venue for the historic Hong Kong Open, one of Asia’s top tournaments for professional players.
Fellow CPPCC delegate Lo Wai-kwok, also a Hong Kong legislator, said he was very concerned about the future of the course.
Hong Kong’s Fanling golf course is no playground for the elite
“The golf course is a valuable natural habitat. It has a long history, and has established its international reputation,” he said.
“Hong Kong is an international metropolis. Both sports and land development are important and should be taken care of by the government. A balance needs to be struck.”
