View 'swings' on golf land issue

Public opinion on building housing on Fanling Golf Course has made a U-turn, with many who had supported the plan now regretting it, says Heung Yee Kuk chairman and lawmaker Kenneth Lau Ip-keung.

The government last year took back 32 hectares of land on the golf course and it is now being managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

But Lau appealed to the government to find other land to build public flats - such as in nearby Ping Kong Village - and keep the golf course whole.

"When the housing supply was not sufficient in 2018 and 2019, many friends thought it was not a big deal if the government took back a small part of the land," said Lau, a member of the Hong Kong Golf Club.

"But now they feel regret after the government actually did so, as the Hong Kong Golf Club had hosted a lot of great competitions on the land over the past two years."

The government should instead use the golf course to make the sport popular and to host more large-scale golf events, Lau said.

"Some people actively pushed the government to take back the land in 2018 and 2019 as they were trying to divide society," he said.

"But our society is advancing from stability to prosperity now and harmonious development is what we need to achieve prosperity. I believe the government could make a wiser decision."

The city does not have sufficient golf facilities, Lau added, and many practice sites have been taken back for development purposes.

The land at Fanling Golf Course is the most suitable for leisure, sports and conservation purposes, Lau said, adding international competitions - including the LIV Golf event - have been hosted at the course.

He also believes Fanling Golf Course is the best course in Asia, with ancient tombs that are hundreds of years old, and should be preserved.

It would be difficult for Hong Kong to host international events again if public flats are built on the land, Lau said, urging the government to maintain the golf course once it finds other land for housing development.

Lau said he has proposed to build public housing at Ping Kong Village - where land is three to four times bigger than that of the golf course land - with the government only needing to build a road to develop it.

Lau also said the government should concentrate on developing Northern Metropolis before moving on to the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands project.

Although the kuk still supports the government in developing the artificial islands, authorities should focus on the Northern Metropolis first instead of developing two major projects at the same time due to cost concerns, he said.

It is a good time to develop innovation and technology in the Northern Metropolis for Hong Kong to better integrate into national development, Lau said.

The artificial islands could be developed later, he added, as 70 percent of the project's land will be used to build residential estates while the rest will be reserved for commercial purposes instead of innovation.

"The government should concentrate on the ones with higher priorities. People should also cooperate with authorities," he said.

The kuk yesterday hosted a marathon at Fanling Golf Course, attended by some 5,000 people.

Speaking at the event, Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said developing Northern Metropolis is like running a marathon and the government will do its best in the "endurance race."

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com