The mock lake is almost cyan in colour, footage from state newspaper People’s Daily shows. But its artificial nature did not prevent the developer from installing a bridge from which residents can admire their surroundings.

“Even Minecraft is more realistic,” said another person quoted by the South China Morning Post.

The Post reported that the developer had promised prospective residents a “park lifestyle” and high vegetation cover. Images do show a few trees but the area is far from the natural idyll the newspaper said had been advertised.