Hong Kong developer secures right to build homes on wetland after 30-year struggle, urges government to sort out town planning discord
- KHI Holdings Group consultant urges Executive Council to issue strong town planning directive to halt interdepartmental disputes and solve housing shortage
- Firm is part of jointly owned project with Henderson Land Development to build on ecological wetland in Deep Bay Area
A Hong Kong developer which battled for three decades for the right to build homes on an ecological wetland site has urged the government to issue a strong town planning directive to override discord between departments and solve the city’s housing problem.
Wan Man-yee, a veteran surveyor and consultant for KHI Holdings Group, said that while they were partly responsible for setbacks in the early years of the process, the appeal panel of the Town Planning Board had noted that conflicting views between planning and conservation officials had caused “unnecessary delays and costs” over the past decade.
“What would be more helpful is that Exco should issue a directive for each of the outline zoning plans, stating which districts are for development and what should be done to facilitate it,” he said.
“That will provide a way out – owners will know what to do with their land, and society will be more transparent.”
The controversial Nam Sang Wai project, located in the northwestern New Territories and within the government’s Northern Metropolis blueprint, plans to build 2,520 flats to house 6,500 people and conserve the adjacent wetlands formed by fish ponds and a reed bed.
