Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP) recently submitted a controversial application under the Land Sharing Pilot Scheme (LSPS). SHKP proposed to increase the plot ratio of a 5.89-ha land at the south of Nam Sang Wai from 0.34 (about 3-storey high) to 2.15-4.14 (about 25-storey high). However, the site is located within Wetland Buffer Area (WBA) and is adjoining the Wetland Conservation Area (WCA). This application is apparently challenging the conservation measures of Deep Bay that was established and maintained in the past few decades.
According to the paper published by the Development Bureau, in order to “accelerate” the handling procedures of LSPS application, there would be three stages of review and approval. First, the government will review the application; then, the Panel of Advisors appointed by the Chief Executive will submit the supported cases to the Chief Executive for endorsement; lastly, the endorsed applications will finally enter various statutory procedures including that under the Town Planning Ordinance. Based on the track record of Green Belt rezoning, once there is policy support from the Government, the Town Planning Board would tend to approve the development application even at sites with significant buffering, ecological and conservation value. Therefore, if the SHKP LSPS application was approved by the Development Bureau, would it then be easier to get a green light from the Town Planning Board as well?
HKBWS is concerned if this LSPS application is approved, it would set an undesirable precedent to other large-scale real estate planning applications within the WBA, abandoning the intended function of the WBA. We are concerned the encroachment of high-rise developments into WBA will lead to direct blockage of flight paths of breeding ardeids. The introduced populations and infrastructures will also seriously disturb the WCA and threaten the important roosting and foraging grounds of migratory birds.
Let us all submit our objection to the Land Sharing Office under the Development Bureau and urge them to reject this LSPS application, as well as to ban any applications within WBA so as to avoid the relaxation of development intensity in such sensitive areas through LSPS.
