Review won't stop return of golf land, says Lee

The government's plan to take back 32 hectares of land in September from the Fanling course will not be stopped by the Hong Kong Golf Club's judicial review application, says Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.

The golf club on filed a judicial review application to the High Court on Friday, challenging the government's approval of an environmental impact assessment report.

Lee said the government will carry on its plan to reclaim the land and will leave it up to the court to handle the judicial review.

A spokesman of the Development Bureau has also said the judicial review application will not affect the Town Planning Board proceeding with the statutory planning procedures.

"The government's intention to construct public housing at the 9.5-hectare site remains unchanged," it said.

"The remaining site land will be used for conservation and passive recreational use for public enjoyment."

The site, meanwhile, has opened to the public as a leisure park.

Some 400 people visited yesterday, including activist Lui Yuk-lin, who was seen wearing a slogan shirt to call on the government to collect all the land from the golf course and build flats there.

"What's wrong with building public housing?" Lui said, adding many Hongkongers had to wait for public housing for more than 30 years while some did not even get a foot in "until they died."

She added: "[Underprivileged citizens] are living in small, subdivided flats, which are hot like an oven. Members of the golf club should ask themselves if they still have a conscience when they filed the appeal."

She broke an aluminium foil golf stick prop she brought to emphasize her point.

Hong Kong Golf Club captain Andy Kwok Wing-leung said the judicial review is only against the environmental impact assessment report.

"There are a lot of precious flora and fauna we have been keeping for a century inside the golf course. We are confident that we have the knowledge to preserve the land," Kwok said.

The site's first three golf holes are open to the public on Sunday afternoons, from 1pm to 9pm until August 27, so people may conduct leisure activities.

A visitor, who lives on Hong Kong Island, said the golf course is a good place for her to "enjoy nature with her dog."

She said "there are few grasslands like this for dogs to run [in Hong Kong]."

Other visitors, including children, were seen doing artwork and there were also youth buskers, including Lo Lok, a contestant in ViuTV's reality talent show King Maker V.