“I really like the area. It is spacious … it is a good thing for the public to enjoy the space,” she said. “But I also understand that some residents desperately need to improve their living environment.”

The park forms part of the 9.5 hectares of land earmarked for public housing, a proposal that prompted the club to launch a legal bid to halt the development.

The remainder of the land taken back from the club was reserved under the original proposal for recreation and conservation purposes.

A woman surnamed Lau, who brought along her 91-year-old mother for a trip to the park, said the site should remain a public space rather than undergoing development.

“Having a walk under the sun is good for [my mother’s] health,” the retiree in her 60s said. “The government should not build homes and I support opening the area as a public space so that everyone can enjoy it.”

The government has only opened certain sections of the park to visitors, including areas set aside for pets, a walking trail and parking spaces.

The Post observed scores of people walking their dogs at the site on Monday, while other visitors took pictures and sat down on the grass to enjoy some snacks.

But several spots were sealed off because of trees felled when Saola struck the city on Friday and some sections were closed for turf maintenance.

One of the visitors, 60-year-old retiree Denise Lee, said she doubted the government had the capabilities to maintain the site.

“The area is really spectacular. It is worth a visit as Hong Kong doesn’t have a lot of public space with so much greenery around,” she said. “But I am really concerned about the turf maintenance issue. If the government can’t do it well, I will be very disappointed.”

Lee said she also hoped authorities could build public housing elsewhere as the city still had undeveloped land in the New Territories.

More than 10 villagers from Sheung Shui also said they were unable to golf at the site when they stopped by on Monday. The group added that they had been allowed to play the sport there for decades.

The villagers said they previously had permission to play on the 32-hectare course when it was managed by the club, despite not being members, but Leisure and Cultural Services Department staff had told them they could no longer golf there.

“We have been allowed to play golf here for decades. The government had not told us about the arrangement. They have no respect,” a villager surnamed Liu said.

The villagers also ventured into restricted areas in the rest of the 32-hectare site to play golf and ignored requests from department staff. The group left the area after 30 minutes.

The club told to the Post villagers could still golf for free in certain areas of the Fanling course it leased.

The department said it had notified villagers in advance that they could no longer golf in the park. No one should play golf in the public park as it was no longer used as a course, it added.

“The department will continue to closely monitor the situation, step up inspections, and take appropriate follow-up actions if members of the public are found to have violated regulations,” a spokesman said.

Rural leader Kenneth Lau Ip-keung said villagers living near the course had a right to play golf in the area due to legacy.

“Generations of villagers exercise in the area daily. I believe they need time to adapt to the changes,” said the chairman of rural body the Heung Yee Kuk.

Lau said he hoped the site could be kept as a golf course, while the government could seek alternatives for housing.

The park will be closed to the public from September 11 to November 15 and lent back to the club when it hosts two international golf tournaments, the Aramco Team Series and the Hong Kong Open.

The club still oversees 140 hectares of the course after returning the rest to the government, but non-members only have limited access to those areas.