Lantau plan: related snippets
email just in from Christian Masset, re govt's new nature conservation policy, which govt says won't deprive landowners of their rights
also related to Lantau issues, a Bloomberg commentary, suggesting "Guggenheim May Paint Hong Kong With Red Ink"; this says just wanting to replicate Guggenheim's success in Bilbao, Spain, may not work - especially if HK chiefly focuses on potential economic gains. Three problems given for HK: non-transparent process, HK seems keen on foreign art, and the govt is ignoring public opinion.
just heard that West Kln Cultural District consultation to be extended by three months.
If possible for this, surely major consultation extension also possible for far bigger Lantau plans.
Association of Engineering Professionals seemingly support concrete, concrete concrete (no huge surprise there, I guess) see point f, for instance - There should be encouragement for the development of hotels, conference centres, factory outlets and seaside resorts along the San Shek Wan for the business travellers and Ngong Ping tourists. err, surely Ngong Ping tourists are heading for a Buddhist temple and statue, with great scenery; do they really want such a concrete nightmare as well?
from Paul Zimmerman:
Note analyst news below and impact on Lantau debate:
1. HK lost control over the Tonggu Channel - Shenzhen will dredge the
longer route (400mill more) outside HK waters. (Bye bye dolphins)
2. Shenzhen will move villages to create room for port expansion.
Relevant impact for Lantau:
3. Capacity constraint in container handling in the PRD has been moved
out by a decade or more - removing the need for urgency with CT10.
-------------------
(b) Regarding Shenzhen, this is the latest according to the press.
Shenzhen is about to embark on an expansion of its Yantian container
port that shipping
industry specialists say will increase its efficiency. Plans call for
three
villages adjacent to the Yantian terminal to be relocated to make way
for an international logistics center with gross floor area of 300,000
square meters (30 hectares), according to an official of the Yantian
district government.
According to the press, additionally the Shenzhen municipal government
has also begun dredging in December a western route which falls just
outside the HK jurisdiction to allow deep sea water vessels direct
access to Shenzhen. For HW, they have a stake in Yantian port in
Shenzhen anyway. A key reason for HW expanding to China was that Hong
Kong was always expected to face competition from the mainland ports. We
expect China ports to become increasingly important for HW vs Hong Kong
ports.
Post edited by: Martin, at: 2005/03/25 11:49
SCM Post today has article saying Shenzhen life is marred by food, smog and traffic
- get bad-air days; acid rain; dirty rivers
Comes not long after the mayor (I believe) told a visiting British politician that Shenzhen's ways were unsustainable; need change if to remain a viable place.
So, which would HK people prefer for Lantau?
- developments akin to Shenzhen (and Kwai Chung); or more along lines of ark-eden?
Hopefully, can get messages out, see what HK people would really prefer.
Mind you, I've also read that the bridge construction should start by end of this year. (Anyone in HK except Gordon Wu and Henry Tang agree to this?) Once that's started, surely other projects will be rolled out; gotta recoup that bridge money somehow.
Video of nasa satellite images here, showing Shenzhen's rapid growth - and obliteration of much greenery. Seems to me growth along north Lantau could be as fast, and as greenery smothering.
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a002700/a002761/
article here on daft development projects - and env woes - in Pearl River delta, in 1999; mentions the Zhuhai Int Airport, which cost US$240 million, yet handles only few flights a day - wasn't expected to break even till 2005 [I doubt that's happened]:
http://www.businessweek.com/1997/03/b351075.htm
Zhuhai again, in autumn 2003, dreaming of development as eastern Pearl River delta and hoping the bridge will be key:
http://app1.chinadaily.com.cn/star/2003/0904/fe21-1.html
(while HK, to me, needs this bridge like a hole in the head)
If the HK-Macau-Zhuhai Bridge, nw Lantau container terminal and n Lantau theme park are built, will they add to the white elephants in the Pearl River delta? - draining on economies, damaging to environment?
HK, of course, has already added its own white elephants to those in the delta - Cyberport, for instance, is a shining example.
just come across a govt response to Concept Plan objection, on Internet objection was by Ruy Barretto, a lawyer who's closely linked to Kadoorie (also a botanist) Assuming you haven't seen the response: it's more detailed than the (to me) simple-minded rejection of the 19 green groups' statement; so you may find it worth a read; links here are to pdf files: http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr04-05/english/panels/plw/papers/plwcb1-1262-1e.pdf While Ruy's response to the plan - also worth a look I think, is at: http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr04-05/english/panels/plw/papers/plwcb1-1040-1e.pdf
With govt mooting indoor, man-made beach for ne Lantau (and not explaining how this might be sustainable), just done a bit of searching on net, and found re indoor beach in Japan. Ocean Dome... is an article in the Ecologist, focuses on the unreality of the beach.
Also an April 2004 Business Week article on Ocean Dome's financial troubles - part of resort that cost US$1.5 billion; by 2001 had US$3 billion in debts, and rescue efforts proving difficult: Rescuing this Japanese resort won't be a picnic Seems about as sustainable as Cyberport - no wonder our govt suggested it.
My original statement on the indoor beach is that it MIGHT be feasible in Moscow or Winnipeg, but it's interesting to see that the concept hasn't worked within a population that is also concerned with darkening from sun exposure.
Though govt claims an enthusiastic response to the concept plan, the Hong Kong Democratic Foundation appears critical in its response;
In concluding paragraph, says: Quote:Our vision for Lantau starts with its beauty, dramatic landscape and unspoilt wilderness.
http://www.hkdf.org/pr.asp?func=show&pr=151
Post edited by: Martin, at: 2005/04/07 16:25