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Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
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Deep fear as more flats mulled for wetlands buffer areas
Authorities are mulling over increasing plot ratios for wetland buffer areas to allow the construction of more flats in a move that has environmental groups expressing concern that overdevelopment will disrupt the ecology of the wetlands.
Secretary for Development Michael Wong Wai-lun was referring to 1,000 hectares of buffer areas surrounding the Deep Bay Wetland conservation area.
He said the government is reviewing whether the plot ratio at wetland buffer areas could be relaxed, but added that it is too early to reveal the location of the sites and other details.
"The plot ratio for development at buffer areas is relatively low. The Steering Group on Streamlining Development Control will review whether a higher plot ratio is possible while maintaining the function of the buffer area," he said.
Development in buffer areas of wetland conservation zones is not completely impossible under current regulations, according to Wong, but it will require careful consideration.
Currently, 40 percent of the 1,000 hectares of buffer areas surrounding Deep Bay Wetland conservation area can be used for housing, but the plot ratio is only between 0.2 and 0.4.
That would mean the plots can only be used to develop low density residential housing, though the plot ratio can be relaxed with the Town Planning Board's approval.
But environmental groups warned that hastily increasing the plot ratio would cause damage to wetlands' ecology.
Roy Ng Hei-man, campaign manager of the Conservancy Association, said the buffer areas protect the ecological integrity of the wetland conservation area, as fishponds and wetlands provide food and habitats for migratory birds.
"If authorities hastily raise the plot ratio, it is simply rubbing salt into the wound, making the unsatisfactory wetland conservation even worse," he added.
On the other hand, Wong said the government's efforts to find land for development finally bore fruit, weeks after the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Xia Baolong, said the SAR should bid farewell to subdivided flats and "cage homes" by 2049.
"The government was still able to meet the target set out in the long-term housing strategy report for the first time, after finding 330 hectares of land for 316,000 public housing units over the next 10 years," he said.
One third of the 316,000 units will be available in the first five years, and the government will streamline the process to develop public housing flats, Wong said.
He said the government is reviewing whether the plot ratio at wetland buffer areas could be relaxed, but added that it is too early to reveal the location of the sites and other details.
"The plot ratio for development at buffer areas is relatively low. The Steering Group on Streamlining Development Control will review whether a higher plot ratio is possible while maintaining the function of the buffer area," he said.
Development in buffer areas of wetland conservation zones is not completely impossible under current regulations, according to Wong, but it will require careful consideration.
Currently, 40 percent of the 1,000 hectares of buffer areas surrounding Deep Bay Wetland conservation area can be used for housing, but the plot ratio is only between 0.2 and 0.4.
That would mean the plots can only be used to develop low density residential housing, though the plot ratio can be relaxed with the Town Planning Board's approval.
But environmental groups warned that hastily increasing the plot ratio would cause damage to wetlands' ecology.
Roy Ng Hei-man, campaign manager of the Conservancy Association, said the buffer areas protect the ecological integrity of the wetland conservation area, as fishponds and wetlands provide food and habitats for migratory birds.
"If authorities hastily raise the plot ratio, it is simply rubbing salt into the wound, making the unsatisfactory wetland conservation even worse," he added.
On the other hand, Wong said the government's efforts to find land for development finally bore fruit, weeks after the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Xia Baolong, said the SAR should bid farewell to subdivided flats and "cage homes" by 2049.
"The government was still able to meet the target set out in the long-term housing strategy report for the first time, after finding 330 hectares of land for 316,000 public housing units over the next 10 years," he said.
One third of the 316,000 units will be available in the first five years, and the government will streamline the process to develop public housing flats, Wong said.
