Hong Kong Island legislator Choy So-yuk, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, wants to allow rural landholders to buy plot ratios from "highly-ecological valued land," in the sealed off border area, and then transfer these "added" plot ratios to their current holdings, allowing them to build large structures on their land.

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A plot ratio defines the total floor area permitted to be erected on a site.

The money that is raised by the sales would be used in a government conservation fund.

Choy thinks that the proposal could allow for plot ratios of two or three times the current buildable plot ratio. As a result developers in the New Territories would be able to build high rises on land that now can only accept three-story townhouses.

"I feel this proposal is really a perfect solution to conservation. It would be a multi-win scheme," Choy said.

In his first policy address, Chief Executive Donald Tsang said the undeveloped and largely pristine border zone that separates Hong Kong from the mainland will be reduced significantly and planning for new developments on the land will start early next year.

Several legislators have already floated plans, but Choy's proposal puts a new spin on conservation.

Choy said the plan increases available commercially viable land without slashing and burning the environment. It will also create an area to establish ecology projects that might even draw in profits for the government.

"If I'm a developer, I want to develop real estate in one of the ecologically low-valued lands. I can do so ... by transferring the plot ratio to this existing one and then surrender the ecologically high-valued land back to the government," she said. "At the moment, my concern is not that the government cannot develop or is not willing to develop. My concern is how to protect those regions," Choy said.

Meanwhile, import and export constituency legislator Wong Tong-kwing, also of the DAB, will reveal his motion to Legco on November 2.

The motion, in part, asks the government "to expedite the realignment of the closed area and the formulation of planning proposals ... to create new growth areas for Hong Kong's economy, promote cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, facilitate the development of Hong Kong's trade in services, industries and tourism, and create new employment opportunities."

Tsang's move to open the border area has sparked concern from environmentalists who say the government does not have a strong record of sustainable development.

Members of the Business Environment Council have talked to the government about developing the border land into environmentally sensitive spa resorts, the council's chief executive, Andrew Thompson, said. "But there's no spa resort policy," he said.

The group's senior advisor, Thomas Tang, said the way in which land is currently developed puts Hong Kong's society and ecology at risk because too much emphasis is put on developing for development's sake. "They're more aimed at the use of the land ... but not really in looking at the environment and social issues,"he said.

But Choy, who says she has consulted environmentalists, believes her proposal will benefit farmers, government and city dwellers.

"The farmers are okay, because now there is a market, they can sell the land. The government is okay because they don't have to spend a cent. And those of us who live in town also benefit, because we need more land to have better living space. Obviously, the New Territories can expand," she said.