Hong Kong has shelved a controversial project to create artificial islands, with the development minister saying the current administration does not have the “necessary conditions” to proceed with the reclamation project.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said in a written reply to lawmaker Lo Wai-kwok on Wednesday that the HK$580 billion Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands project, previously called Lantau Tomorrow Vision, would not go ahead in the current term of government, though studies and assessments would continue.
Instead, the authorities will prioritise the Northern Metropolis, a 30,000-hectare housing and business hub along the border with mainland China.
The government has not formulated a timetable for the implementation of the islands project, she said. “In fact, we do not have the necessary conditions for the reclamation project to be carried out within this term of government.”
Delays
The first phase of reclamation was previously slated to begin this year, until finance minister Paul Chan said in March last year that the timetable would be delayed by up to three years.
Linn and Chan previously suggested that the government would not move forward with the islands project, which was touted as a major source of housing and office supply in land-scarce Hong Kong.
The plan to create three interconnected artificial islands spanning 1,000 hectares, located in the waters east of Lantau Island, aimed to provide 190,000 to 210,000 flats and around four million square metres of office space in what would be the city’s third central business district.
The exorbitant price tag for the reclamation has raised concerns, especially amid three consecutive years of government deficits.
A 2023 survey found that more than half of respondents feared it would burden public finances. The project has also been criticised by environmental groups for its ecological impacts.
Linn said on Wednesday that information from ongoing studies “remains applicable and retains significant reference value,” despite there being no concrete timetable for the commencement of reclamation works.
However, she also said that the Development Bureau considered it “inappropriate” to allow public inspection and scrutiny of the environmental impact assessment at the current stage, even though the Environmental Protection Department in February deemed the report suitable for viewing.
“To avoid unnecessary public speculation and debate on the Kau Yi Chau project, we recommend adopting a more prudent arrangement” that waits until the implementation timeline for reclamation works is mostly confirmed, she said.
Having reviewed several factors, the islands project has been “accorded a lower priority,” with the Northern Metropolis development taking precedence, she added.
Meanwhile, land resumption continues in Kwu Tung, the first area earmarked for development under the Northern Metropolis project.
Officials from the Land Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, as well as police officers and security contractors, evicted three squatter households in Kwu Tung on Wednesday, including one forced out a day after being allocated a transitional flat, local media reported.
