Hong Kong Planning Department, Hong Kong 2030: Planning Vision and Strategy: Final Report, Hong
Kong, Planning Department, 2007, pp.99–104.
25
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, North East New Territories
New Development Areas Planning and Engineering Study: Information Digest, Hong Kong, Planning Department
and Civil Engineering and Development Department, July 2013, p.4.
26
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, North East New Territories
New Development Areas Planning and Engineering Study: Information Digest, Hong Kong, Planning Department
and Civil Engineering and Development Department, July 2013, p.4.
27
Legislative Council of Hong Kong website, http://www.legco.gov.hk/database/chinese/data_plw/plw-
nentnda.htm.
28
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, North East New Territories
New Development Areas Planning and Engineering Study: Information Digest, Hong Kong, Planning Department
and Civil Engineering and Development Department, July 2013, p.4.
29
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, North East New Territories
New Development Areas Planning and Engineering Study: Information Digest, Hong Kong, Planning Department
and Civil Engineering and Development Department, July 2013, p.12.
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Challenge of sustainable development (1997–2015) · 389
pool complex, district police station, open space, new schools and employment
clusters to serve the existing and new residents, whilst the existing facilities
in Fanling/Sheung Shui could provide services to the entire new town.30 The
Fanling/Sheung Shui/Kwu Tung New Town would have a total population of
about 460,000 upon full development, comparable to other new towns such as
Tuen Mun and Tseung Kwan O.31
In the two NDAs, there would be about 186 hectares of ‘green belt’ and
‘open space’. Housing, work, leisure and public facilities would be located
mainly in the vicinity of the railway station and the public transport hub
(with about 80 per cent of the Kwu Tung North residents living within 500
metres of the Kwu Tung Station). There would also be established walkways
and a cycle track network of about 18 kilometres to facilitate easy mobility
by residents, reduce carbon emissions from vehicles and promote healthy
living. (See Figure 7.2.)
Planning of Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area
According to the Planning and Development Study on NWNT completed
in 2003, Hung Shui Kiu, located between Tuen Mun and Tin Shui Wai New
Towns, was planned as an NDA, but Tin Shui Wai was excluded from the plan-
ning. The Hung Shui Kiu NDA covered an area of about 450 hectares.
There would be highways and railways linking to the new towns in the West
New Territories and the main urban areas. The proposed Northern Link, Tuen
Mun Western Bypass and Tuen Mun–Chek Lap Kok Link could further enhance
connection of the area with the North East New Territories, North Lantau,
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and the planned Hong Kong–
Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities. The proximity
of the area to the Kong Sham Western Highway would create synergy with exist-
ing and planned developments in Shenzhen.32 Therefore, it was proposed that
the area be developed into a ‘gateway town’ to accommodate 160,000 residents
and provide 48,000 jobs. The 2007–08 Policy Address announced the planning
for the Hung Shui Kiu NDA and the NENT NDAs as one of the ten major infra-
structure projects for economic growth.33 (See Figure 7.3.)
Hung Shui Kiu had a population of about 25,000 in 2011. The land uses had
a mixed urban–rural character with predominantly village, low-density private
residential, agricultural and open storage/port back-up uses. About 511 hectares
30
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, North East New Territories
New Development Areas Planning and Engineering Study: Information Digest, Hong Kong, Planning Department
and Civil Engineering and Development Department, July 2013, p.8.
31
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, North East New Territories
New Development Areas Planning and Engineering Study: Information Digest, Hong Kong, Planning Department
and Civil Engineering and Development Department, July 2013, p.8.
32
Planning Department website, http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/prog_s/hsk_nda/St_
b5.html.
33
Planning Department website, http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/prog_s/hsk_nda/St_
b5.html.
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M4593-HO_9781788117944_t.indd 390
Source: Planning Department, Civil Engineering and Development Department, Agreement No. CE 61/2007 (CE) North East New Territories New Development Areas Planning and Engineering Study – Investigation: Executive
Summary, Rpt Ref. 179-01, July 2014, Figure 4, http://www.nentnda.gov.hk/doc/techreport/FR_C.pdf.
Figure 7.2 Final master urban design plan of Kwu Tung North and Fanling North NDAs
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Challenge of sustainable development (1997–2015) · 391
Source: Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area Planning and
Engineering Study: Stage 3 Community Engagement Digest, June 2015, p.8, http://www.hsknda.gov.hk/files/ce3/HSK_NDA_CE3_Digest.pdf.
Figure 7.3 Strategic location of Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area
(62 per cent) of land was under private ownership and about 315 hectares
(38 per cent) of land was owned by the government. In 2011, the CEDD and
the Planning Department jointly commissioned the Hung Shui Kiu New
Development Area Planning and Engineering Study to develop a viable land use
framework for the Hung Shui Kiu NDA. Community engagement was carried
out in three stages, with Stage 1 from November 2010 to February 2012, Stage
2 from July to October 2013,34 and Stage 3 from 17 June to 16 September 2015.
34
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, Hung Shui Kiu New
Development Area Planning and Engineering Study: Stage 2 Community Engagement Digest, Hong Kong,
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, July 2013, p.1.
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392 · MAKING HONG KONG
According to the RODP published in June 2015, the Hung Shui Kiu NDA,
covering a total area of about 714 hectares, would be a next generation new
town in Hong Kong which could accommodate 215,000 people. In addition to
medium- and long-term supply of land for housing and other uses, the NDA
could be developed into a ‘Regional Economic and Civic Hub’ for NWNT due
to its proximity to Tin Shui Wai, Tuen Mun and Yuen Long. About 150,000
new jobs could also be provided. Many sites in the area were used as open car
parks and storage yards, which were operated in a haphazard manner. Therefore,
replanning was needed. By improving the overall environment, the government
would be able to attract investments in such sectors as logistics and research and
development. The new infrastructure as well as government, institution and com-
munity facilities, such as the specialist clinic/polyclinic, sports centres, elderly
homes and primary and secondary schools, could also serve residents nearby.
The town centre would be developed around the proposed Hung Shui Kiu
Station and complemented with a regional plaza. The Hung Shui Kiu NDA
would become a ‘Regional Economic and Civic Hub’ for NWNT in the future.
A secondary hub would be located near the West Rail Tin Shui Wai Station to
form a ‘District Commercial Node’. Mixed commercial and residential develop-
ments and higher-density residential developments would cluster around the
500-metre catchment of the railway station. The north-west part of the NDA,
located near the Kong Sham Western Highway and the Shenzhen Bay Control
Point, would be the ‘Logistics, Enterprise and Technology Quarter’ for special
industries (including modern, non-polluting industries which support inno-
vation and technology as well as testing and certification). Areas in the east
and north of the NDA would be the residential areas, with various community
facilities, and integrated with Tin Shui Wai New Town and Lau Fau Shan. The
employment area would be located in the north-west of the NDA, with direct
access to the Kong Sham Western Highway, so that heavy vehicles would not
need to drive into the residential areas. In the Hung Shui Kiu NDA there were
20 indigenous villages and nine non-indigenous villages. Existing village clusters
would be retained wherever possible, whereas the historical relics and monu-
ments would be preserved.
This would be a green new town integrating natural, cultural and landscape
resources. There would also be a network of footpaths and cycle tracks, a river-
side promenade, eco-heritage routes, feng shui lanes and view corridors, among
other facilities. Natural landscapes within and near the NDA, such as hills, Yuen
Tau Shan, forests, San Sang San Tsuen Egretry flight paths, and the wetland
compensation area for the Deep Bay Link project, would also be conserved.
Owing to their proximity to Qianhai, Shenzhen and the Pearl River Delta
(PRD) region, the NDAs in NWNT, NENT, Hung Shui Kiu and Yuen Long
South are considered to be a belt of opportunities.
New Territories North
In early 2014, the CEDD and the Planning Department jointly commis-
sioned the Preliminary Feasibility Study on Developing the New Territories
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Challenge of sustainable development (1997–2015) · 393
North (NTN Study) mainly to examine the development potential of the New
Territories North and strategic infrastructure provision required for the devel-
opment. The aim was to develop a modern new town there of a scale similar to
that of the Fanling/Sheung Shui New Town. The study area was approximately
5,300 hectares, covering the land to the north of the hill ranges of Kai Kung
Leng, Pak Tai To Yan and Pat Sin Leng. It is bounded by San Tin Highway and
Ngau Tam Mei in the west and the NENT Landfill and the surrounding hill
ranges in the east.
The NTN Study is a preliminary feasibility study, aiming at formulating a
comprehensive strategic plan for the NTN through optimising the development
potential of the vast tracts of land released from the closed area and other unde-
veloped areas in the region, conserving worthy natural and cultural heritage,
capturing opportunities that may be brought by new transport infrastructure
under planning, and addressing environmental issues caused by brownfield
sites. The planning concept of the NTN development features green and low-
carbon design, and an integrated development within the area in such a way that
urban development could be integrated with the rural and nature to minimise
the impact of urban development on the natural and rural environments as well
as the living or rural settlements, fostering a modern, integrated community.
In view of the suggestion of developing the Fanling Golf Course area, the gov-
ernment, upon consideration, included the golf course and its peripheral area in
the NTN Study to examine their development potential from the technical per-
spective. Since the Fanling Golf Course is held under a private recreational lease
(PRL) and is subject to the Review of Policy on PRL currently undertaken by
the Home Affairs Bureau, the government would take into account the results of
the policy review when considering future use of the golf course.
Lok Ma Chau Loop (LMC Loop)
The LMC Loop is located in the Hong Kong–Shenzhen boundary district, cov-
ering an area of about 87 hectares. It is in the vicinity of LMC Boundary Control
Point (BCP) and LMC Spur Line BCP, with the Huanggang Port and Futian
commercial area on the other side of the Shenzhen River. The LMC Loop has a
strategic cross-boundary location that offers opportunities for enhancing Hong
Kong–Shenzhen cooperation. The LMC Loop is not only close to the Kwu
Tung North NDA and potential development areas in NTN, but is also adjacent
to the highly urbanised areas in Shenzhen. The Kwu Tung North NDA would
provide commercial, community and ancillary facilities to the LMC Loop. The
surrounding rural community near Lok Ma Chau Road could also provide resi-
dential and related service facilities.35
In mid-2008, Hong Kong and Shenzhen collected public views on the future
development of the LMC Loop. In June 2009, the government conducted the
35
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, Planning and Engineering
Study on Development of Lok Ma Chau Loop: Executive Summary, February 2015, p.7, http://www.lmcloop.
gov.hk/pdf/FR%20ES/LMC%20Loop_Final%20Report_ES%20-%20TCN_20150209.pdf.
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394 · MAKING HONG KONG
Planning and Engineering Study on Development of Lok Ma Chau Loop. From
November 2010 to January 2011, Hong Kong and Shenzhen carried out the Stage
One Public Engagement concurrently to collect public views on the PODP for the
LMC Loop. The Stage Two Public Engagement was conducted from May to July
2012. The study results and the RODP were announced in July 2013. Under the
general principle of sustainable development, the LMC Loop would be developed
for higher education purposes, complemented by high-tech research and develop-
ment (R&D) as well as cultural and creative (C&C) industries. Detailed design of
advance works commenced in June 2014. The advance works included land decon-
tamination within the LMC Loop, as well as provision of construction access and
environmental mitigation works to pave the way for the subsequent site forma-
tion and infrastructure works. In February 2015, the Planning Department and the
CEDD published the Planning and Engineering Study on Development of Lok Ma
Chau Loop: Executive Summary.36 Officials from Hong Kong and Shenzhen met
several times to exchange views in respect of the areas of cooperation (including
innovation and technology as well as finance), platforms of cooperation (includ-
ing the Shenzhen Free Trade Zone, Qianhai, Shekou and the LMC Loop in Hong
Kong), and interaction channels such as cross-boundary facilities and handling
between the two sides.37 This shows how the LMC Loop would become a major
hub for future cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. (See Figure 7.4.)
The formulation of urban design principles and concepts for the LMC Loop
is based on the geographical location, ecological environment, planning vision
and guidelines, featuring the characteristics below:38
1. Layout: The urban design and building layout will respond to the develop-
ment of the adjacent Shenzhen area. The flexible design layout will allow
diverse building typologies to fulfil the needs of different functions and
activities, such as open space, higher education, high-tech R&D and C&C
industries, together with the emphasis on landscape design, so as to make
the LMC Loop a vibrant area for ‘production, education and research’.
2. Structural framework: Provision of various types of corridors: visual cor-
ridors, wind corridors and activity corridors, as well as three different types
of open space (i.e. pedestrian boulevard, ribbon park and courtyard spaces)
and the riverside promenade, would help to avoid the wall effect and to
create a comfortable environment.
3. Building height profile with gradation: It is proposed to adopt a building
height profile which gradually descends towards the Shenzhen River and
Ecological Area/Old Shenzhen River Meander so as to allow wider views.
36
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, Planning and Engineering
Study on Development of Lok Ma Chau Loop: Executive Summary, February 2015, http://www.lmcloop.gov.
hk/pdf/FR%20ES/LMC%20Loop_Final%20Report_ES%20-%20TCN_20150209.pdf.
37
‘Transcript of Remarks by CE at Media Session in Shenzhen’, Press Releases, 10 July 2015, http://www.
info.gov.hk/gia/general/201507/10/P201507100610.htm.
38
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, Planning and Engineering
Study on Development of Lok Ma Chau Loop: Executive Summary, February 2015, p.9, http://www.lmcloop.
gov.hk/pdf/FR%20ES/LMC%20Loop_Final%20Report_ES%20-%20TCN_20150209.pdf.
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Source: Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, Planning and Engineering Study on Development of Lok Ma Chau Loop: Executive Summary, February 2015, p.31.
Figure 7.4 Recommended outline development plan for Lok Ma Chau Loop
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396 · MAKING HONG KONG
4. Accessibility: A north-east–south-west running ‘pedestrian boulevard’ will
be developed across the LMC Loop to serve as a prime activity corridor, so
as to create a diverse and vibrant public space. The design focus is to attract
people, enhance greenery and facilitate knowledge and culture exchange.
The courtyard space between buildings will provide a pleasant environment
conducive to interactions among users.
5. Eco-friendliness: A low-carbon economy will be achieved through integrat-
ing with surrounding settings, protecting natural ecology, maintaining bio-
diversity and adopting environmental protection measures.
Planning of the LMC Loop The LMC Loop, which is to be developed mainly
for higher education purpose complemented by high-tech R&D and C&C
industries, is divided into five functional zones:
1. Education Zone: Located in the middle part of the LMC Loop, it will
provide teaching and research facilities, a library, offices and other ancillary
facilities for higher education.
2. Innovation Zone: Located along the waterfront in the north-east and south-
west parts of the LMC Loop, it will be a hub for high-tech R&D and C&C
industries, providing offices, research, lecture and exhibition facilities, and
so on.
3. Interaction Zone: Located in the central core, it will be an open-air
public space to facilitate interactions among users of the Knowledge and
Technology Exchange Zone. It will provide a platform for exchange of ideas
and cultural performance through organising various activities.
4. Ecological Zone: Located in the south/south-east, it will be a landmark of
the LMC Loop. Apart from compensating for the reed bed affected by the
development and for preservation of the biodiversity of the area, it pro-
vides a buffer contributing to a transition between the surrounding rural
landscape and the LMC Loop so as to further mitigate the potential impact
generated by low-rise buildings on ecologically sensitive areas.
5. Riverside Promenade Zone: With a length of two kilometres, it will provide
a pleasant waterfront environment for educational, high-tech R&D and
C&C users. It will also echo the future riverside area across the Shenzhen
River.39 (See Table 7.4.)
Since Shenzhen, to the north of the LMC Loop, is highly urbanised and the
area to the south is the rural development and proposed development of the
Kwu Tung North NDA, consideration should be given to a number of factors,
including the use of land resources, the balance for environmental/ecologi-
cal aspects, the overall vision, and the different townscapes of Hong Kong and
39
Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, Planning and Engineering
Study on Development of Lok Ma Chau Loop: Executive Summary, February 2015, p.10, http://www.lmcloop.
gov.hk/pdf/FR%20ES/LMC%20Loop_Final%20Report_ES%20-%20TCN_20150209.pdf.
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Challenge of sustainable development (1997–2015) · 397
Table 7.4 Land use planning of Lok Ma Chau Loop
Area
(hectares) (%)
Education 22.8 26
High-tech R&D/cultural and creative industries 8.6 9.9
Open space 10.6 12.1
Amenity/activity corridor 15.9 18.1
Ecological area 12.8 14.6
Government 3.3 3.8
Road 9.9 11.2
District cooling system/electricity sub-stations 2.6 2.9
Commercial 1.2 1.4
Total area 87.7 100
Source: Planning Department and Civil Engineering and Development Department, Planning and Engineering Study on
Development of Lok Ma Chau Loop: Executive Summary, February 2015, p.11.
Shenzhen when deciding the development scale. The LMC Loop has a total
land area of 87.7 hectares. The maximum GFA proposed in the RODP is 1.2
million square metres, with the total plot ratio of 1.37 on average. A total of
720,000 square metres of the GFA will be reserved for higher education use,
411,000 square metres for high-tech R&D and C&C use and 60,000 square
metres for commercial use. About 29,000 jobs are expected to be provided.
Various technical and environmental impact assessments show that the
LMC Loop can meet the objective of sustainable development, both techno-
logically and environmentally. It is expected to achieve synergy with adjacent
potential areas, including Huanggang, Shenzhen, Kwu Tung North, Fanling/
Sheung Shui and NTN. Moreover, this project will be greatly conducive to
nurturing local talents, developing high-value-added activities, promoting the
creative economy and strengthening economic cooperation with the PRD
region.
South West New Territories (SWNT)
The Lantau Development Advisory Committee was established in 2014 to
examine the position and the short-, medium- and long-term economic and
community development in Lantau in line with the development of HKIA’s
third-runway system, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge (HZMB) and
strategic infrastructure in the area, and to generate synergy with the Greater
PRD development. Short-term efforts put in place by the government in Lantau
include the revitalisation of Tai O and Mui Wo, construction of mountain
bike trails, improvements to narrow road bends along Keung Shan Road and
South Lantau Road, review of arrangements for closed roads and issuance of
closed road permits for Lantau, and planning and engineering studies for major
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398 · MAKING HONG KONG
development projects. In the medium term, the government will continue the
Tung Chung New Town Extension, and proceed to the commercial develop-
ment at the top of the Hong Kong boundary crossing facilities of the HZMB,
Sunny Bay Reclamation and Siu Ho Wan development. In the long run, an arti-
ficial island will be constructed near Kau Yi Chau for developing the East Lantau
Metropolis as the third core business district, with a population of 400,000 to
700,000. It will connect Hong Kong Island, Lantau and the New Territories
West. Priority of development will be given to building transport infrastructure
and a low-carbon smart city.40 (See Figure 7.5.)
In 2015, the North Lantau New Town covered about 253 hectares of land in
Tung Chung East and West. According to the Port and Airport Development
Strategy formulated in 1989, Tung Chung New Town Phase I was one of the ten
projects of the Airport Core Programme. It was designed as a supporting com-
munity for the airport, with open space, government departments, community
facilities, a sewage treatment plant, refuse transfer stations, and industrial and
commercial sites. Only 70 hectares of land would be developed, with a budget
of 2.6 billion Hong Kong dollars and a planned population of about 20,000.41
In the original planning, Siu Ho Wan, located at the east of Tung Chung, would
play a different role. The centre of Tung Chung would be the retail, commercial
and cultural core of the new development. Siu Ho Wan, on the other hand, was
planned for large public facilities, such as sewage treatment works, a railway
depot, a refuse transfer station and water treatment works, with land set aside for
future expansion.42 According to the North Lantau Development Study com-
pleted in 1992, the area of North Lantau New Town significantly increased
to 830 hectares to include Tung Chung and Tai Ho. Development would be
carried out in several stages, and the population was expected to increase to
260,000 by 2011. According to the Territorial Development Strategy Review pub-
lished by the Planning Department in 1996, the planned population would be
raised to 320,000 by 2011 upon completion of the final phase of the develop-
ment plan in order to cope with the medium- and long-term housing needs
of Hong Kong and to enhance the development potential of new towns in
Lantau.43 According to the ‘Pamphlets on Planning for New Territories: Islands’
published by the Lantau and Islands District Planning Office of the Planning
Department in 2002, the North Lantau New Town would cover about 916 hec-
tares of land from Tung Chung to Tai Ho/Siu Ho Wan. It would become one
of the key strategic growth areas for large-scale housing development for the
40
2015 Policy Address website, www.policyaddress.gov.hk/2015/chi/p96.html.
41
E.G. Pryor, Hong Kong’s Port and Airport Development Strategy: A Foundation for Growth, Hong Kong,
Government Printer, 1991, pp.92–102; see also ‘Airport Core Programme’, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Airport_Core_Programme (accessed 17 October 2014).
42
Hong Kong Yearbook 1998, Hong Kong, Information Services Department, 1999, http://www.yearbook.
gov.hk/1998/cwww/13/1313/index.htm.
43
Hong Kong Legislative Council Panel of Planning, Lands and Works, ‘PWP Item No. 667CL – North
Lantau Phase 3 Development in Tung Chung, Engineering Works and PWP Item No. 668CL – North Lantau
Phase 3 Development in Tai Ho, Engineering Works’, 18 May 2010, p.1, http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr99-00/
chinese/panels/plw/papers/a1562c03.pdf.
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Source: Planning Department, Planning for Longer-term Sustainable Development 2014–15 Outreach Programme, http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/press/educational/OR_panel/2014_15/P11-20_2014.pdf.
Figure 7.5 Preliminary concept of transport links to East Lantau Metropolis
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400 · MAKING HONG KONG
twenty-first century, with a 60:40 split ratio for private and public housing. It
was recommended to increase the development density to accommodate about
330,000 people.
In 2004, the government launched a new planning for the development of
North Lantau. According to the Concept Plan for Lantau44 as well as the ‘Annex
– Conservation Strategy for Lantau’ in the revised Concept Plan in 2007, about
2,360 hectares of land in North Lantau was planned for country park extension,
mainly covering the upland surrounding Tung Chung and Tai Ho, as well as the
hillsides to the north and south of Discovery Bay, consisting of mountains and
upland valleys covered with natural woodland and unspoiled stream courses.
Major habitats include secondary woodlands, montane forests and fresh water
streams, which are of high conservation and landscape value. The development
plan for Tai Ho was changed, and that for North Lantau New Town would focus
only on Tung Chung,45 with the planned population reduced to 220,000.46 The
existing and committed developments in Tung Chung Central would remain
unchanged, whereas the extension of North Lantau New Town would focus on
Tung Chung West and East.
In 2011, the Development Bureau proposed to carry out reclamation at Tung
Chung East and West in order to increase the land supply for housing. The pro-
posed scale and feasibility of reclamation and development were decided based
on environmental impact assessment (EIA) findings and the study results. The
existing and committed developments on formed land in Tung Chung Central
would be retained.47
In 2012, the CEDD and the Planning Department jointly commissioned the
Tung Chung New Town Extension Study, with the aim of developing Tung
Chung into a larger community. According to the 2011 Population Census,
Tung Chung had a population of about 78,000. Three stages of public engage-
ment were completed between 2012 and 2014, followed by the formulation of
an RODP on the future land use of the proposed new town extension in Tung
Chung East and West. Proposed reclamation works would include about 120.5
hectares in the east for development purposes, as well as 8.6 hectares for the con-
struction of Road P1 (Tung Chung–Tai Ho section). Upon expansion, Tung
Chung New Town would have an additional population of 144,400 (118,900
in Tung Chung East and 25,500 in Tung Chung West), and was expected to
accommodate about 268,400 people in total.
According to the RODP, approximately 49,400 additional flats would be pro-
vided, with a split ratio of 63:37 for public and private housing. The proposed
domestic plot ratio would vary between 1 and 6.5. About 877,000 square metres
44
It was under the steering of the Lantau Development Task Force led by the Financial Secretary.
45
‘North Lantau New Town’, Wikipedia, http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8C%97%E5%A4%A7%E5
%B6%BC%E5%B1%B1%E6%96%B0%E5%B8%82%E9%8E%AE (accessed 20 November 2014).
46
Hong Kong Yearbook 2005, Hong Kong, Information Services Department, 2006, http://www.yearbook.
gov.hk/2005/tc/12_12.htm.
47
Hong Kong Legislative Council Panel on Development, ‘PWP Item No. 7712CL – Planning and
Engineering Study on the Remaining Development in Tung Chung’, LC Paper No. CB(1)2205/10-11(03),
May 2011, p.2, http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr10-11/chinese/panels/dev/papers/dev0524cb1-2205-3-c.pdf.
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Challenge of sustainable development (1997–2015) · 401
commercial GFA would be provided for office and district/regional retail and
hotel uses (with the proposed non-domestic plot ratio varying between 2 and
9.5). It was estimated that some 40,000 jobs would be created. In addition, there
would be sufficient community, recreational and tertiary education facilities,
clinics and other government, institutional and community facilities to meet the
residents’ needs in the future. In addition, there would be a waterfront prom-
enade of more than 5 kilometres along the Tung Chung coast, creating an attrac-
tive, vibrant and pleasant environment, providing land for various recreational
activities, and enhancing connectivity within the area. As for transport develop-
ment, it was proposed to add two railway stations in Tung Chung East and West
respectively, so as to improve external connectivity. It was also proposed to
improve the road network and local traffic conditions.
To preserve the natural environment and the fishing village, no reclamation
would be carried out at Tung Chung West, but there was a plan to revitalise Ma
Wan Chung Village. For the conservation of Tung Chung River, which has high
ecological value, a 30-metre buffer area on both sides would be provided and zoned
‘conservation area’ to conserve the Tung Chung River. A section of the Tung
Chung River would be revitalised as a riverside park, with the concept of revitalis-
ing water bodies to promote water-friendly culture and improve the environment.
The Tung Chung New Town Expansion will be carried out and completed in
phases. Site formation and infrastructure works were scheduled for commence-
ment in phases by the end of 2017, so that the residents will be able to move in
by the end of 2023 at the earliest. The entire project is expected to be completed
by 2030.
HKIA is the gateway to the world. It is directly connected to urban areas
through the North Lantau Highway, the Airport Express and the MTR Tung
Chung Line. Upon completion of the HZMB, the Tuen Mun–Chek Lap Kok
Link and the third runway, Lantau Island will become a hub linking Hong
Kong, Macao and the PRD with the multi-transport network. Capitalising on its
unique geographical advantage, Lantau is full of opportunities for development
in Hong Kong. The government intends to develop artificial islands by means of
reclamation in the central waters between Lantau Island and Hong Kong Island.
Detailed planning and related engineering studies are under way. The aim is to
establish the third CBD and a high-value-added industrial park, with the provi-
sion of nearly 240,000 jobs.48 The possibility of building a railway and a tunnel
linking the area to Hong Kong Island will also be studied.
Exchange with the Mainland
The relationship between Hong Kong and the Mainland has been increasingly
close since China implemented the reform and opening-up policy at the end of
1978. Cross-border trade and investment have also been booming. In 2013, the
Mainland accounted for 51.1 per cent (or 3,891.4 billion Hong Kong dollars) of
48
Exclusive interview, Hong Kong Economic Times, 15 May 2015, http://ps.hket.com/content/603438.
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402 · MAKING HONG KONG
Hong Kong’s global trade, an increase of 41.8 per cent over the 9.3 per cent in
1978, becoming Hong Kong’s largest trading partner. Hong Kong became the
Mainland’s second largest trading partner, following only the USA. The two-way
trade volume accounted for 9.6 per cent of the Mainland’s total trade. From
1979 to the end of 2013,49 Hong Kong was also the Mainland’s largest source of
‘foreign’ investment, accounting for 47.7 per cent of the national total, with the
cumulative value reaching 5,161.6 billion Hong Kong dollars.50 The Mainland
has also become a major investor in various economic projects in Hong Kong
in recent years. Hong Kong had a population of 6.489 million in 1997, which
reached 7.222 million by the end of 2013, an increase of 733,000 over 16 years.51
From 1997 to 2013, there were 822,000 Mainlanders residing in Hong Kong.52
Passengers travelling between the two places are on the rise as well.
Cross-boundary travel
Cross-boundary passenger and vehicle traffic has surged as the social and eco-
nomic ties between Hong Kong and the Mainland are getting closer. Results of
the Cross-boundary Travel Survey 2013/14 show that the average daily cross-
boundary passenger trips (including those for travelling to Hong Kong and
Macao) increased from 304,000 in 1999 to 658,000 in 2014, representing an
increase of 116 per cent.53 According to immigration records, cross-boundary
land-based passenger traffic in 2015 was 27 times that of 1980. (See Table 7.5.)
The New Territories, boundary of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, has aroused
heated discussions in the community owing to the growing number of travel-
lers in recent years. From 1999, the Planning Department conducted a two-
week Cross-boundary Travel Survey in the territory every two or three years,
so as to study cross-boundary passenger and vehicle traffic at control points as
well as the purposes of arrivals and departures. Statistics show that the number
of passengers travelling between Hong Kong and the Mainland is increasing
from year to year. The number of cross-boundary travellers in 2014 increased
49
Luo Jinyi and Zheng Yushuo, eds, Zhongguo gaige kaifang sanshi nian: bian yu chang (Thirty Years of
China’s Reform and Opening Up: Change and Continuity), Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong Press,
2009, p.44; Tian Suhua, Waishang zhijietouzi jinru zhongguo de jiegou biandong yu xiaoying yanjiu (A Study
of Structural Changes and Effects of Foreign Direct Investment in China), Beijing, Zhongyang bianyi chu-
banshe, 2013, p.1.
50
Hong Kong Trade and Industry Department website, http://www.tid.gov.hk/tc_chi/aboutus/publica
tions/factsheet/china.html.
51
HKSAR Census and Statistics Department website, http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp150_tc.
jsp?tableID=001&ID=0&productType=8.
52
Census and Statistics Department, 2006 Population By-census Thematic Report: Persons from the Mainland
Having Resided in Hong Kong for less than 7 Years, Hong Kong, Census and Statistics Department, 2007,
pp.79–80; Census and Statistics Department, 2011 Population Census Thematic Report: Persons from the
Mainland Having Resided in Hong Kong for less than 7 Years, Hong Kong, Census and Statistics Department,
2012, pp.83–84; Home Affairs Department and Immigration Department, Statistics on New Arrivals from the
Mainland (Fourth Quarter of 2013), Hong Kong, Home Affairs Department and Immigration Department,
2014, p.8.
53
Planning Department, Northbound Southbound: Cross-boundary Travel Survey 2013/14, Hong Kong,
Planning Department, 2014, Table 1.1.
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Challenge of sustainable development (1997–2015) · 403
Table 7.5 Annual arrivals and departures at Hong Kong land control points (1980–2015)
Arrival Departure Total
(millions) (millions) (millions)
1980 4.1 3.8 7.8
1981 4.5 4.3 8.8
1982 4.3 4.1 8.5
1983 5.2 5 10.3
1984 7.7 7.3 15
1985 10.6 10.1 20.7
1986 11.5 10.9 22.4
1987 13.5 13 26.5
1988 16 15.5 31.5
1989 14.7 14.3 28.9
1990 16 15.6 31.6
1991 18.2 17.7 35.9
1992 20.5 20 40.4
1993 21.9 21.3 43.3
1994 23.2 22.7 45.9
1995 25.1 24.7 49.9
1996 27.6 27.3 54.9
1997 32.6 32.3 64.9
1998 38.6 38.4 77
1999 45.3 45 90.3
2000 51 50.7 101.7
2001 53.6 53.1 106.6
2002 59.2 58.4 117.6
2003 58.2 57.4 115.5
2004 68.4 67.4 135.8
2005 72.4 71.4 143.8
2006 75.8 75 150.8
2007 81 80.2 161.2
2008 83.4 82.7 166.1
2009 85.3 84.7 169.9
2010 91.3 90.5 181.8
2011 95.8 94.8 190.6
2012 102 100.6 202.6
2013 105.1 103.6 208.7
2014 110.6 108.4 219
2015 112.3 110.4 222.6
Source: Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Census and Statistics Department, 1980–2015.
by 116 per cent compared with that in 1999. It was closely related to the
Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), which was first introduced in four Guangdong
cities, namely Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Foshan, on 28 July 2003.
(See Table 7.6.)
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404 · MAKING HONG KONG
Table 7.6 Average daily cross-boundary passenger trips between Hong Kong and the
Mainland (1999–2014)
Year Between Hong Kong and the Compared with previous survey
Mainland
1999 284,600
2001 333,200 +17%
2003 382,800 +15%
2006 448,100 +17%
2007 490,900 +10%
2009 504,600 +3%
2011 562,400 +11%
2014 604,900 +8%
Source: http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_tc/p_study/comp_s/nbsb2013-2014/table_cbts2013-14_ch1.xls.
The IVS was first introduced under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer
Economic Partnership Arrangement.54 As a result, Mainland residents of related
cities no longer had to travel to Hong Kong on business visas or in group tours.
In April 2009, the measure of one-year multiple-entry IVS endorsement to
Hong Kong was implemented in Shenzhen. In 2015, the measure was adjusted
to ‘one trip per week’ for Shenzhen permanent residents. In 2015, residents of
49 Mainland cities could visit Hong Kong under the IVS.55 The number of cities
under the IVS with multiple-entry endorsement has been constantly on the rise
over the past few years, which has not only strengthened the economic coop-
eration between the two places, but also boosted cross-boundary passenger and
vehicular traffic.
In 1999, ordinary residents in Hong Kong accounted for 90 per cent of the
frequent cross-boundary trip makers. But in 2014 the percentage dropped to
64 per cent, while those normally residing in the Mainland accounted for 36 per
cent. (See Table 7.7.)
With the increasing volume of cross-boundary trips, services at bound-
ary control points and supporting facilities play a key role in easing passenger
and vehicular flows between Hong Kong and the Mainland. As of 2017, there
were a total of ten boundary control points in Hong Kong, namely Lo Wu, Lok
Ma Chau Spur Line, Hung Hom, Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok,
Shenzhen Bay, China Ferry Terminal, Macao Ferry Terminal and HKIA. (See
Table 7.8 and Figure 7.6.)
54
Planning Department, Northbound Southbound: Cross-boundary Travel Survey 2013/14, Hong Kong,
Planning Department, 2014, p.8.
55
These were all 21 cities of Guangdong province, together with Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing,
Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Taizhou, Fuzhou (municipal district), Xiamen, Quanzhou,
Chengdu, Jinan, Dalian, Shenyang, Nanchang, Changsha, Nanning, Haikou, Guiyang, Kunming, Shijiazhuang,
Zhengzhou, Changchun, Hefei and Wuhan.
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Challenge of sustainable development (1997–2015) · 405
Table 7.7 Number of frequent trip makers between Hong Kong and the Mainland
(1999–2014)
Year Living in Hong Kong Living in the Mainland Total Compared
with
(No.) (%) (No.) (%) (No.) (%) previous
survey
(%)
1999 332,200 90 36,400 10 368,500 100
2001 447,500 90 48,800 10 496,300 100 +35
2003 501,700 84 97,800 16 599,500 100 +21
2006 560,900 84 108,500 16 669,500 100 +12
2007 540,800 82 121,600 18 662,400 100 −1
2009 547,100 82 123,600 18 670,700 100 +1
2011 532,600 76 170,200 24 702,800 100 +5
2014 475,800 64 261,900 36 737,700 100 +5
Source: http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_tc/p_study/comp_s/nbsb2013-2014/table_cbts2013-14_ch3B.xls.
Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai boundary control point
In view of the constantly increasing number of cross-boundary passengers, the
government of HKSAR and Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government set out
to study the feasibility of building a boundary control point at Liantang/Heung
Yuen Wai, in order to strengthen cross-boundary facilities and to promote long-
term economic development and regional cooperation. In December 2006, the
two places carried out the Shenzhen–Hong Kong Joint Preliminary Planning
Study on Developing the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai BCP, to investigate the
possibility of building the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai BCP between Robin’s
Nest and Man Kam To in north-eastern Hong Kong. The study also assessed
the BCP functions, cargo volume, passenger flow, and resources to be invested.
In January 2007, the Planning Department conducted an analysis of matters
relating to the proposed construction of Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai BCP in
Hong Kong, including its connection with the local road network, uses of the
land released after the reduction of the frontier closed area,56 environmental and
engineering considerations, and so on.
In September 2008, the Hong Kong–Shenzhen Joint Task Force on
Boundary District Development convened its second meeting. The govern-
ments of Shenzhen and Hong Kong subsequently decided to construct a new
BCP at Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai, which is expected to be completed in
56
Chan Chun-kwong, ‘Urban Planning in Hong Kong and Macao and Development in the Pearl River
Delta Region’, in Leung Kit Fun Beatrice and Lo Shiu Hing Sonny, eds, Zhujiang sanjiaozhou fazhan yu gangao
zhi ronghe (Pearl River Delta and Its Integration with Hong Kong and Macao), Hong Kong, City University
of Hong Kong Press, 2014, p.278.
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Table 7.8 Average daily passenger trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland (by control point used)
Control point 1999 2001 2003 2006 2007 2009 2011 2013/14
(No. of (%) (No. of (%) (No. of (%) (No. of (%) (No. of (%) (No. of (%) (No. of (%) (No. of (%)
trips) trips) trips) trips) trips) trips) trips) trips)
Lo Wu Control 217,300 76.3 253,600 76.1 242,900 63.5 249,800 55.7 252,500 51.4 237,300 47.0 254,400 45.2 235,400 38.9
Point
Lok Ma Chau – – – – – – – – 36,800 7.5 71,000 14.1 98,900 17.6 136,200 22.5
Spur Line
Control Point
Hung Hom 6,200 2.2 5,900 1.8 7,600 2.0 9,000 2.0 9,000 1.8 8,500 1.7 11,300 2.0 11,800 1.9
Control Point
Lok Ma Chau 26,300 9.2 37,000 11.1 86,800 22.7 134,000 29.9 115,200 23.5 94,000 18.6 81,900 14.6 72,700 12.0
Control Point
Man Kam To 2,900 1.0 3,000 0.9 6,500 1.7 8,300 1.9 5,500 1.1 6,200 1.2 600 0.1 8,500 1.4
Control Point
Sha Tau Kok 3,200 1.1 3,600 1.1 5,200 1.4 7,500 1.7 7,000 1.4 6,800 1.4 7,800 1.4 8,300 1.4
Control Point
Shenzhen Bay – – – – – – – – 25,100 5.1 48,300 9.6 68,500 12.2 92,500 15.3
Control Point
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Hong Kong– 14,600 5.1 15,900 4.8 17,100 4.5 15,900 3.6 13,300 2.7 9,100 1.8 10,600 1.9 10,700 1.8
China Ferry
Terminal
Hong Kong– 4,900 1.7 5,100 1.5 6,200 1.6 6,800 1.5 7,200 1.5 4,200 0.8 5,200 0.9 5,700 0.9
Macau Ferry
Terminal
Tuen Mun Ferry – – – – – – 700 0.2 # # # # # # – –
Terminal
Hong Kong 9,300 3.3 9,200 2.8 10,500 2.7 16,100 3.6 19,500 4.0 19,100 3.8 23,100 4.1 23,200 3.8
International
Airport
Total 284,600 100 333,200 100 382,800 100 448,100 100 490,900 100 504,600 100 562,400 100 604,900 100
Note: # represents a number less than 50 or percentage less than 0.05.
Source: ‘Table 3A.1c: Average Daily Passenger Trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland by Control Point Used’, http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_tc/p_study/comp_s/nbsb2013-2014/table_cbts2013-14_ch3A.xls.
20/08/2018 16:48
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Source: Planning Department, Northbound Southbound: Cross-boundary Travel Survey 2013/14, Hong Kong, Planning Department, 2014, p.158.
Figure 7.6 Locations of Hong Kong immigration control points
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Challenge of sustainable development (1997–2015) · 409
2018.57 The new control point would not only help Shenzhen realise its ‘East
in, East out’ transport planning principle, which means directing cross-bound-
ary traffic through the proposed Shenzhen Eastern Corridor to Huizhou and
other parts of eastern Guangdong Province, but help expand Hong Kong’s
economic hinterland in eastern Guangdong as well.58 As of 2017, there were
two BCPs in New Territories East (NTE), namely Man Kam To and Sha
Tau Kok, which, because of geographical restrictions, it would be difficult
to expand and which would not be able to cope with the estimated cross-
boundary traffic needs in the future. The new BCP will help redistribute cross-
boundary traffic in NTE and alleviate the frequent congestion at Man Kam
To BCP, thus enhancing the overall operational efficiency of BCPs in NTE.
(See Figure 7.7.)
A new road will be constructed to link up the new BCP with Tolo Highway
via Fanling Highway. It will be about 11 kilometres in total length, compris-
ing three sections of tunnel (with a total length of about 3.5 kilometres) and a
viaduct of about 6.5 kilometres.59 The design features minimum intrusion into
the ground area and is intended to reduce the pressure on the existing traffic
network in eastern New Territories. In June 2015, the construction of a dual
two-lane road connecting the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai BCP with the pro-
posed Sha Tau Kok Road Interchange commenced. The connecting road will
include 0.6 kilometres on the at-grade level, 3.3 kilometres of viaducts and a
0.7-kilometre tunnel. The works, with an investment of up to 6.518 billion Hong
Kong dollars, are expected to be completed by the end of 2018.60 Shenzhen has
already completed the expressway on the east. Now vehicles may enter Hong
Kong via Heung Yuen Wai without going through central Shenzhen. And the
BCP layout has also become complete. Eastern Guangdong is of great potential
for development. Huizhou, for example, is four times the size of Hong Kong but
has only 4 million people.
The new BCP will be the seventh land control point between Hong Kong and
Shenzhen. It will connect directly with the Eastern Corridor in Shenzhen, an
expressway which links up the eastern part of Guangdong (including Shantou,
Shanwei, Chaozhou, Jieyang and others) and adjacent provinces like Fujian
and Jiangxi, via the Shenzhen–Huizhou and Shenzhen–Shantou Expressways.
It will reduce the travelling time from Hong Kong to eastern Shenzhen, eastern
Guangdong and nearby provinces, thus facilitating future development in those
areas and extending the economic hinterland of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. It
will also strengthen the connection of Hong Kong and Shenzhen with eastern
Guangdong, with strategic significance for regional integration and cooperation.
57
Planning Department, ‘Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point’ website, http://www.
pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/LTHYW/tc/c_lthyw_01.htm.
58
Hong Kong Planning Department, Hong Kong 2030: Planning Vision and Strategy: Final Report, Hong
Kong, Planning Department, 2007, p.149.
59
Planning Department, ‘Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point’ website, http://www.
pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/LTHYW/tc/c_lthyw_01.htm.
60
‘CEDD Awards Contract for Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point Project’, Press Releases,
12 June 2015, http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201506/12/P201506110780.htm.
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Source: Hong Kong Planning Department, ‘Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point’, July 2010, http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/LTHYW/tc/c_lthyw_01.htm, http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_
en/p_study/comp_s/LTHYW/images/5.jpg.
Figure 7.7 Cross-boundary traffic distribution
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Challenge of sustainable development (1997–2015) · 411
Improvement of the cross-boundary transport network
In the years between 1999 and 2014, most cross-boundary passengers made
their trips on land and only 2–4 per cent did so by air. Those travelling by ferry
across the boundary accounted for 2–7 per cent. These figures show the impor-
tance of land BCPs for travellers between the two places. To cope with the rapid
growth in traffic, the transport connections between Hong Kong and the PRD
region are in great need of improvement.61 (See Table 7.9.)
Since the handover, the Hong Kong government has enhanced cross-bound-
ary transport facilities in order to promote closer ties between Hong Kong and
the Mainland, with such new facilities as the Shenzhen–Hong Kong Western
Corridor (SWC), Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong
Express Rail Link, HZMB, and Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai BCP and its con-
necting road.
The Shenzhen–Hong Kong Western Corridor
The Planning Department completed the Crosslinks Study in 1996, which was
to preliminarily explore the feasibility of the SWC62 for the sake of enhancing
transport links between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. In 2000, in view of the close
economic ties between Hong Kong and the Mainland, the Hong Kong and
Shenzhen governments decided to jointly construct the SWC.63 According to
the Planning Department’s Feasibility Study for Additional Cross-border Links
in 2000, the connecting road, namely the Deep Bay Link (DBL), was expected to
alleviate the nearly saturated existing land boundary crossings at Lok Ma Chau,
Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok. It was also intended to enhance trade between
Hong Kong and southern China, facilitate Hong Kong’s economic development,
and enable Hong Kong to become the business hub of the Pearl River Delta
area.64 Shenzhen, on the other hand, already had three cross-boundary crossings
covering central areas in 2000. Over 80 per cent of the cross-boundary traffic had
to go through the main roads within Shenzhen city centre, causing serious traffic
congestion and environmental impacts. On account of this, the Shenzhen author-
ity hoped that the SWC as the fourth land boundary crossing could be completed
as soon as possible. Construction of the SWC commenced in August 2003 and
61
Planning Department, Feasibility Study for Additional Cross-border Links Stage 1: Investigations on Traffic
Demand: Executive Summary, March 2000, www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/cbl/CBLstudy_