Community democracy: Land policy academic sets his sights on one of Hong Kong's district council seats

With the Leung Chun-ying administration's massive housing development plans having caused much controversy in various districts, November's local polls may serve as a battleground for candidates to expound on their own thinking on neighbourhood planning.

One of those who is flagging city development in their electoral platform is housing and land policy academic Dr Edward Yiu Chung-yim, who is vowing to "leave his ivory tower and conduct a natural experiment" of democracy in urban planning. He is challenging incumbent Dr Chu Ching-hong, a four-term veteran who is now chairman of Southern District Council. Both are independents.

Yiu, 51, an associate professor at Chinese University, yesterday filed his candidacy for the Chi Fu constituency in Pok Fu Lam, where he has lived for 15 years.

As the convenor of the environmental committee of the resident association in his estate, he has been working with his neighbours and the property management company to introduce green initiatives there.

On the day of the interview, Yiu showed some of the estate's green facilities that he has helped introduce. Among them is an aquaponics pond - an environmentally friendly system where fish are bred and plants are grown. There are also solar panels and a power-generating stationary bicycle connected to a phone battery charger.

"Even if we failed to fight for democracy in the larger community, we can implement democracy in smaller communities," said Yiu, who gave open classes on Hong Kong's property market in the protest zone in Admiralty during last year's Occupy sit-ins.

He said two keys to encourage residents' involvement were to start with something fun and to make them feel the benefits of participation. For example, Chi Fu residents can accumulate points by participating in recycling and redeem vegetables grown on their community farm with the points.