Talk of turning Hong Kong golf course into housing dominates city’s first public forum on land supply
Protests and scuffles mar event meant to gauge preferred ways to plug city’s shortage of 1,200 hectares for next 30 years
The controversial issue of whether to develop a Hong Kong golf course for housing dominated the first public forum held by the task force on land supply on Saturday, with staff and consultants for the sports ground speaking up.
About 150 people took part in the discussion held in Happy Valley, which was marred by protests and scuffles. Some activists were carried out of Leighton Hill Community Hall, while others ripped up consultation documents to show their dismay with what they called a “fake” engagement exercise with the public.
The five-month consultation, which started in April, gauges views on the preferred ways to boost land supply in Hong Kong to plug a shortage of 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) as the city confronts housing and economic demands for the next 30 years.
Participants at Saturday’s event included activists, district councillors and concern group representatives.
Much of the discussion centred on whether the 170-hectare Fanling golf course – one of the 18 options put forward by the government-appointed task force for the consultation – should be used for housing.
