Housing and land supply are among the most contentious issues in the city and there are divergent views among different stakeholders
A Hong Kong government-appointed task force is adamant the eight options it shortlisted to resolve the city’s land supply problems are endorsed by most of the city’s residents but the difficulties in implementing them are here to stay in the coming years despite the mandate they won during a high-profile consultation exercise.
Unveiling the task force’s report on Monday afternoon, the chairman of the panel, Stanley Wong Yuen-fai, said it was time to put aside controversy over land supply issues and move forward.
But housing and land supply are among the most contentious issues in Hong Kong and there are divergent views among different stakeholders.
Task force member Ho Hei-wah warned it could be wishful thinking that options with strong public backing would overcome resistance when they were put into practice.
Taking as an example the development of brownfield sites – degraded farmland occupied by polluting businesses – he said he expected opposition to the move would persist with a lengthy process of land resumption and relocation of the companies.
“Those people who support the idea today may sit idly, rather than coming to the government’s defence, if there is resistance to the resumption of brownfield sites in future,” he said.
The option was the most popular among the 18 put forward by the panel in the five-month consultation.
