The Legislative Council Finance Committee will resume deliberations next week on the government’s request for HK$550 million ($71 million) to fund a preliminary study on a major land reclamation project near Lantau Island, calling for more effort to get public support for the proposal and assurances against delays.
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The lawmakers met for three-and-half hours with government officials including Secretary for Development Michael Wong Wai-lun. The deliberations will resume next Friday.
While expressing support for the project, lawmakers said they were concerned that the public’s view had been tarnished by the opposition camp’s attempts to smear it.
While expressing support for the project, lawmakers said they were concerned that the public’s view had been tarnished by the opposition camp’s attempts to smear it
Lawmaker Wong Kwok-kin told the meeting that the government should make a stronger effort to win the support of local residents, instead of relying on approval from the legislature. The discussion of Lantau Tomorrow Vision in the community is no longer a technical issue, but a political one, he said.
Wong displayed to the meeting a leaflet distributed by the opposition camp in a public housing building that advocates opposition to the land reclamation project. These former opposition lawmakers, he added, have been continuing to stigmatize the government initiatives after they resigned or were disqualified earlier this month.
If the government doesn’t refute the smear and actively promote the program, it will be unpopular in the community even before it could start the research phase, he warned.
Lawmaker Alice Mak Mei-kuen agreed, saying that the government has not provided sufficient explanations to local residents, including that Hong Kong is facing a severe land shortage and a pressing need for housing.
Michael Wong said in response that he would review the department’s work and improve their communication of the facts to the community. He noted that there would be ample opportunities for public engagement in future studies, such as public consultations.
Lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, chairperson of the New People’s Party, criticized the government for being overly optimistic in expecting that it will start the reclamation in 2027 and that the new land will be ready for residency and commercial activities by 2034.
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Noting that government feasibility studies and infrastructure had often been subject to delays in the past, Ip asked the Development Bureau to ensure that their reports will be completed on time. She also noted that the department should be well-prepared for judicial review of the project.
Michael Wong responded that the Development Bureau will prepare for different situations, adding that the department needed the concerted efforts of all sectors of the community.
Lantau Tomorrow Vision, announced in Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s second Policy Address in 2018, is a land reclamation plan to the west of Hong Kong Island aimed at easing the city’s chronic housing woes.
The 42-month study comprises a detailed planning and engineering study for the proposed 1,000-hectare Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands, and a study of transport infrastructure that links the islands with other parts of Hong Kong, including Hong Kong Island, Lantau, and coastal areas of Tuen Mun.
It is estimated that the KYC Artificial Islands are capable of providing 150,000 to 260,000 housing units, 70 percent of which will be public housing. It will also establish a core business district to provide some 200,000 employment opportunities.
