The document discusses land reclamation in Hong Kong, providing a history of reclamation projects from the 1800s to present day. It notes that reclamation has been crucial for Hong Kong's development but can negatively impact the environment. Several ordinances like the Town Planning Ordinance and Protection of Harbour Ordinance aim to regulate land use and limit further reclamation to balance development and sustainability. The Central-Wan Chai reclamation project is discussed as facing delays due to legal challenges.

1. LAND SUPPLY
AND RECLAMATION 填
RECLAMATION
“SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT”
海
CHAN Kong Yau // CHANG Enoch // LAI Cho Lee // LAM Hoi Yi // LAM Yuet Ting // SO Yuk
Wa // YIM Natalie

2. INTRODUCTION
• Reclamation is the creation of
new land from lakes, rivers or
the sea
• Crucial to the socioeconomic
development of Hong Kong
• less than 25% of Hong Kong’s
land is developed
• 6% of Hong Kong’s land is
reclaimed

3. HISTORY
Reclamation for agricultural purposes -
206-9 BCE
beaches reclaimed for salt production
British occupation of Hong Kong;
private land owners reclaimed land
1841 without planning or governmental
authorization, leading to the irregular
coastline

4. Bonham Reclamation Scheme - first
official reclamation project adding land
1851
to Sheung Wan and the West island
area
文咸填海計劃
Intensive reclamation from Kennedy
1860-1900
Town to Causeway Bay
Non-government authorized
reclamation around the peninsula and
1867-76
Yau Tsim Mong area by private land
owners

5. Praya Reclamation Scheme - first large
1868-73 scale reclamation scheme adding a
significant amount of land to Central
Second project of the scheme; 59 acres
1890-1904
added to the waterfront of Central
海旁填海計劃

6. 1916 Reclamation for Kai Tak Airport
Expansion of peninsula due to
1917
construction of East Rail Line
Praya East Reclamation Scheme -
expansion between Central and Wan
1921-31
Chai. Allowed for cross-harbor pipeline
for fresh water supply from NT
Wan Chai, 1920
海旁東填海計劃

7. More intensive reclamation after WWII:
-Sha Tin (Shing Mun River) by private
landowners (first major project in NT)
1951-60 -Causeway Bay (Victoria Park)
-East island (Chai Wan, Siu Sai Wan)
-Kwun Tong, Hung Hom
-Expansion of Kai Tak Airport
Causeway Bay, 1950

8. Tuen Mun and Castle Peak Bay
1961-70 reclamation (New Town Development
Scheme)
Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, Sha Tin,
expansion of Kowloon peninsula,
1971-80
Aberdeen, Ap Lei Chau, Cyberport -
mainly for residential development
Sha Tin, 1973 Sha Tin, late 1970s Sha Tin, today

9. -Tai Po Industrial area
-East of Hong Kong island (Taikoo, Sai
1981-90
Wan Ho, Shao Kei Wan, Heng Fa
Chuen)
Airport Core Programme (Port and
Airport Development Strategy) -
reclamation for the site of HKIA (Chek
1989-98
Lap Kok) and improving transportation
infrastructure - North Lantau, Tung
Chek Lap Kok before and after reclamation. WestWest Kowloon, 1995
Chung, Central and Kowloon

10. Central, Wan Chai, Kowloon peninsula,
1991-2000 Kai Tak and expansion of outlaying
islands
Protection of Harbour Ordinance, Cap.
1997 531 was passed, setting many
constraints on harbor reclamation
2003-9 Penny’s Bay Reclamation
2003- Central Phase III/Wan Chai Phase II
Penny’s Bay, 2010 Central, today

11. GENERAL TREND and remarks.
• Around the coastlines on either side of the harbor
• New Territories with the new town development with continual
development around the harbor
• Further urban development and the creation of urban
infrastructure
• Implementation of the PHO to limit development
• General struggle with essential balance between socioeconomic
development and sustainability and environmental sustainability
• Reclamation is a result of land supply challenges

13. WHY RECLAIM LAND?
• Land use challenges lead to the need of reclamation
• Financial prosperity - helps facilitate economic
development of Hong Kong as it allows urban development
• Extra supply of land - 40% of the land are country parks and
nature reserves
• More land would mean cheaper land
• Land is mountainous - hard to develop on

14. EFFECTS OF RECLAMATION
• Marine pollution - endangering
marine life
• Increase in air pollution
• Further increases the urban heat
island effect and disrupts airflow into
these area
• Loss of cultural and historical
heritage
• Beyond the narrowing of the
harbour - i.e. destruction of the
Queen’s Pier, which is historically
significant

15. • Harbour is getting smaller - less
vessels are allowed through
which can hinder relevant
industries
• Increase in job opportunities
• Is a solution for waste
management - major issue in
Hong Kong
• Increase space for visually
appealing recreative facilities (i.e.
greenery and promenade) to
increase social and living
standards
• Helps develop the tourism
industry

16. TOWN PLANNING ORDINANCE
城市規劃條例

17. BACKGROUND of Hong
• Town Planning Ordinance (TPO), Cap. 131, is a part
Kong law that has been amended throughout the years
• Designation of land use by regulating land use
• Meeting the specific development criteria for different land use
whilst preserving natural environment
• Some sites only allow agricultural or conservation related
activity
• Preserving the natural character of Hong Kong’s landscape and
natural habitats
• Accommodating the scientific interest in these areas

18. COUNTRY PARKS ORDINANCE
郊野公園條例
WILD ANIMALS
PROTECTION ORDINANCE
保護野生動物條例

19. BACKGROUND
• Country Parks Ordinance (CPO), Cap. 208, is a part of Hong
Kong law
• Enacted in 1976
• Aims to preserve natural environment - promotes
environmental sustainability
• Platform for educational purposes
• Addresses recreational needs of the community -
increases social sustainability

20. BACKGROUND
• Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (WAPO), Cap. 170, is a part
of Hong Kong law that has been amended throughout the years
• Reduce the loss of natural habitats due to urbanization
• Decrease in biodiversity
• Protect wild animals and their habitats
• Set up restricted areas to isolate from any disturbance

21. POLICY GAPS
• Conserving these areas does not eliminate disturbance
• People are attracted to natural environments
• Visitors may not be educated about wildlife protection
• May disrupt the natural environment through feeding animals
and littering

22. POLICY GAPS
• Lack of administration in restricted areas - policy is
counterproductive
• Such as Tai Long Sai Wan
• Large area of flat land near Tai Long Sai Wan demolished in
construction
• Dilemma - improved administration may disrupt natural
environment; original purpose is not maintained

23. Recommendations
• Foster closer communication and planning between
governmental departments for future development projects
• Prevent human interference (i.e. noise pollution or
construction) in nearby areas that are restricted
• Strategize better conservation techniques to improve
administration without disrupting the environment
• Increase in public education about environmental protection

24. PROTECTION OF HARBOUR ORDINANCE
保護海港條例

25. BACKGROUND
• Protection of Harbour Ordinance (PHO), Cap. 531 is a part
of Hong Kong law
• Proposed in 1996 by The Society for Protection of Harbour
(SPH)
• Officially approved in 1997 by the Legislative Council
• Aims to limit reclamation activity outside the Victoria
harbour
• Protection and preservation of the heritage for the public

26. CONSTRAINTS
• Supervises and affects all reclamation projects proposed
after 1997
• Not applicable to projects already approved or commenced
(i.e. first two phases of Central-Wanchai reclamation
unaffected as they were approved in the 1980s)
• Major hindrance to all development - causing delays and
increasing costs to relevant projects

27. Central-wan chai Reclamation
• Feasibility report completed in 1989; construction
commenced in 1993
• Former Land Development Policy Committee agreed to
divide the project into five separate phases:
• Central I-III
• Wan Chai I-II
• So far, projects have provided improved transport
infrastructure for the HKIA, Tamar naval base and HKCEC

29. • Improve transportation infrastructure to alleviate
congestion during busy hours
• Central-Wan Chai Bypass, connecting to Eastern Corridor
Link
• Aims to provide extra land for the MTR Railway
• Shatin-Central Link
• North Island Line
• Promenade to be constructed above - increase social
standards and creates a more pleasant environment
• Targeted completion date: 2017

31. • The Society for Protection of Harbour raised a judicial
review to oppose Wan Chai II
• Final Appeal announced that the SPH won and the
government had to stop the project
• Project is now currently under review

32. KAITAK RECLAMATION
• Hong Kong’s official airport until 1998
• Covers 328 hectares
• Has since been temporarily used for fill banks, bus depots, car
parks, car sales exhibitions and recreational grounds
• Many plans and proposals for what to do with Kai Tak since
1998 (Outline Zoning Plan)

34. • Repeatedly refused and reconsidered due to:
• Town Planning Ordinance
• Protection of Harbour Ordinance
• Pending the completion of the study of South East Kowloon
Development
• Objections from the public and other parties during exhibition
periods of these plans
• Though initially approved Chief Executive in Council in 2002, plans
were refused after public inspection

36. • 1998 - Outline Zoning Plan proposed
reclamation of 299 hectares
• 2001 - Proposed reclamation reduced to
133 hectares
• 2004 - PHO restricted ANY further
reclamation
• Development strategies used zero
reclamation as a starting point
• Kai Tak Planning Review in 2004 due to
the change of criteria by the PHO;
finalized scheme after extensive planning
and public participation - approved in
2007

37. • The plan for the project
considered...
Urban design, landscape and cultural
heritage
Traffic and transport review
Infrastructure and utilities
Marine uses
Infrastructural capacity and
development threshold
Development requirements
• Final plan will consist of a cruise
terminal, parks, housing, a hospital,
a stadium, district cooling systems
and space for MTR development

38. POLICY GAPS.
• PHO aims to promote social and environmental sustainability
by restricting reclamation in the harbour but is hindering the
progression of many projects
• Causes many delays → increase of costs
• Governmental departments are still proposing projects with
reclamation as a way to address land supply issues
• Different departments within the government are not in
alignment of each other, causing inconsistencies, conflict and
waste of time

39. Recommendations.
• Must compromise between the government’s notions to
develop Hong Kong and the environmentalists/people who
wish to preserve cultural heritage
• Redevelop older areas in Kowloon (i.e. former government
buildings, Kai Tak, etc.)
• Strategically develop land reserves - there are about 386
hectares of land in NT and about 360 in other areas of
Hong Kong

40. • Town Planning Board should have comprehensive consultation with all
relevant parties before commencing such projects
• Comprehensive planning has been shown to be effective especially in
ensuring sustainability (i.e. Kai Tak) by addressing various social,
economic and environmental challenges Hong Kong is put in
• WWF states that damage done by reclamation is irreversible - should
be only considered as a last resort
• The Environmental Protection Department can improve the criteria
used in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report which should be
same as the international standard.
• Standardized development strategy and criteria (for example, zero-
reclamation as a starting point?) written with comprehensive
consultation with different departments and the public for future
projects can save time in planning, consultation and reduce conflicts.

41. FUTURE OF LAND SUPPLY ISSUES
• CE announced in latest Policy Address (2011-12) to innovate to
expend land resources and to build up a land reserve
• $300 million allocated for conducting studies relevant to
reclamation and rock cavern development
• Civil Engineering and Development Department has conducted an
extensive feasibility report on land supply options as part of the
Enhancing Land Supply Strategy
• Prepared for public engagement
• Flexibility in land supply strategies

42. Reclamation Outside of Victoria
Harbour
• Considering reclamation outside
of the harbour
• ‘Public digest’ - parts of the
study based on public
feedback/involvements
• Key challenge: Mitigation of the
impact on marine ecosystem

43. • 64% of Hong Kong is well-suited for rock cavern
•
development
Challenges include ecosystems, and people not
CAVERNS
willing to live their daily lives in caverns
• For facilities such as parking, storage, water/sewage
treatment, etc. such that there is more space on land
• Must consider the three
aspects of sustainability,
feasibility and impacts on the
community
• Example: HKU’s
Centennial Campus caused
the relocation of the
Western Salt Water
Service Reservoirs

44. thank you.