Is Hong Kong lacking space for housing development? The figures may be the best evidence. In Hong Kong, only 6.9 per cent of its land is for residential use. Facing the shortage of land supply for residential development, people suggest different ways tackling it for long-term development. There are a few concerned solutions in the public.
First of all, in order to alleviate the imminent housing problem, some people raised the idea of redeveloping the vacant government sites. It seemed to be an ideal plan for making full use of the land in Hong Kong. However, have the people who suggested this idea questioned whether these vacant sites are sufficient for a large number of citizens and if they can provide the essential community facilities? Moreover, from the governmental angle, there should be always some land reserved for unforeseeable needs in the future. As we all know, it is hard to satisfy the ever-changing public’s aspiration. As the population continues to grow rapidly, the land supply will be insufficient. Therefore, making use of the vacant sites from the government is not suitable for residential uses.
Another most criticizing opinion over this issue is to turn country parks into residential use. People who suggest the idea think that over 70 per cent of the land in Hong Kong is the countryside surrounded by hills and mountains and it is a waste to reserve these country parks. Firstly, the parks just serve a few people in this hustle and bustle city and hiking is not the only sports that we can benefit from, thus, the country side should be used for residential development.
However, is giving up country parks for the land supply worthwhile? Country parks in Hong Kong are established as world-class treasure. Hong Kong Trail is one of the top10 city hikes in the world. It shows that these treasures help enhance a better image of Hong Kong. The country side also provides invaluable services like relaxation and natural scenery which money cannot buy. Breathing in fresh air rouses our consciousness and uplifts stress and busyness. Furthermore, hiking is a perfect activity with families and friends. It strengthens our social interaction skills and and fosters the bonding and relationship with others. During hiking, we can admire the magnificent landscape and learn more about the nature.
Besides maintaining better mental health, country parks even benefit the community. There are 24 country parks in Hong Kong and 69 per cent of them act as a network of catchments for collecting rainwater into the reservoirs for the public, which is a vital role. If any construction is carried out, the stored rainwater will be contaminated. Although we are still mainly relying on water from Dong Jiang in the mainland, the government should concern the self-reliance of water and the growing demand for water supply amid the rapid economic development and population growth.
Some people may argue that if the officials cannot think of any alternative to satisfy Hong Kong’s development needs and fulfill the aspiration from the public, considering the use of some areas of the parks should be the only option.
In fact, among the discussion and consultation, there is another option that many people should not overlook, that is to intensify land utilization by redeveloping the aging estates. In purpose of optimizing land use, The Housing Society is now experimenting on the redevelopment in Ming Wah Dai Ha, a rental estate in Shau Kei Wan. By estimation, if the proposal is successfully completed, not only will it provide a third more housing units, but it will also offer homes for the elderly to solve the aging problem. By following the principle of recycling, we are able to make full use of the existing space to build a better place for Hongkongers, instead of wasting more resources on exploiting the land on countryside.
In my opinion, turning country parks into residential used is not preferred. Even though the country-park invaders only plan to use 1 per cent of the parks for development in the beginning, once they surrender one piece of the area, there will be no end to the attrition. As the population will continue to grow in the future, turning the use of the country parks is not a long-term solution to fulfill the needs of Hongkongers. Instead, redeveloping aging estates is a feasible option. It does not require destroying the valuable natural scenery, but it makes effective use of the old developed land and does not create any waste. Do not let sleeping dogs lie and think of a wise solution, Hongkongers!