An extensive public engagement was launched today (November 10) to seek public views on Government initiatives to enhance land supply by reclamation outside the Victoria Harbour and rock cavern development.
The Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, together with Legislative Council members Dr Raymond Ho and Professor Patrick Lau, officiated at the launch ceremony. A promotional video was also premiered to signify the commencement of the two-stage public engagement exercise, which is co-organised by Development Bureau, the Civil Engineering and Development Department and the Planning Department.
Mrs Lam said that Hong Kong needed to identify additional means of land supply to meet housing and other requirements in a steady and sustainable manner. “We will carry out this work following the pledge on progressive development advocated by the Chief Executive in his 2007-08 Policy Address with full public involvement," she added.
In his 2011-12 Policy Address on October 12, the Chief Executive said that land formation efforts should aim at delivering an annual supply of land for an average 40,000 residential units of various types per year.
Commenting on reclamation as a means to supply land, Mrs Lam stressed that she was referring to reclamation outside Victoria Harbour.
"Reclamation also provides a more sustainable and practical means of dealing with public landfill generated from local infrastructure works and contaminated mud generated from dredging of harbour fairways and other marine works," Mrs Lam said.
As regards rock cavern development, Mrs Lam commented that despite episodic development in the past, its use in Hong Kong to meet land demand had not been fully exploited.
Stage 1 of the engagement exercise, to last from today until February 2012, will include focus group meetings, topical discussions, public forums, roving exhibitions, face-to-face interviews, and a telephone poll. Through these activities, the Government aims to build a consensus with the public on enhancing land supply options, the guiding principles, and the site selection criteria.
In addition, the Enhancing Land Supply Strategy website (www.landsupply.hk) opens today, on which information about the subject matter and latest updates of the public engagement activities are available. The public may also register online for the activities, submit online questionnaires and voice their opinions on the e-discussion forum.
Reclamation and rock cavern proposals supported by the public as identified during the Stage 1 engagement exercise will then be used to help with detailed studies on individual development so as to expedite their implementation. Based on the outcome of the Stage 1 exercise, and the established site selection criteria, the public will then be consulted on potential sites in the Stage 2 engagement exercise, tentatively scheduled for the third quarter of 2012.
Ends/Thursday, November 10, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:35
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