District councillors slam plan to rezone Stanley sites for luxury flats
Government accused of selling public resources to cater to the rich
District councillors have criticised the government's plan to rezone two green-belt sites in Stanley for luxury flats as selling public resources to the wealthy.
If the proposal is approved, the two sites on Wong Ma Kok Road, near Stanley Barracks, will provide 222 four-storey flats as part of a "low-rise, low-density" residential development.
At a Southern District Council meeting yesterday, the Planning Department said its studies showed there would be "no significant traffic, infrastructure, environment or visual impact" on the 0.43-hectare and 2.54-hectare sites if they were rezoned.
But the plan drew heat from seven out of 10 district councillors at the meeting.
"They are selling off valuable Hongkongers' assets to build 200 luxury flats," Lei Tung councillor Lo Kin-hei said. "It is obvious that ordinary citizens will not be able to afford these four-storey low-rises … One must ask, how will this help to solve the city's housing problems?"
Wah Fu councillor Chai Man-hon said the rezoning plan was akin to giving up green-belt land, which was enjoyed by many across the city, in order to "satisfy the rich".
"Stanley has enough luxury developments. But poverty - you will only have added to it," Chai said, referring to the city's widening wealth gap, partly fuelled by out-of-reach housing prices.
