We have had several meetings with government departments in the last few weeks, and provide updates as follows:
1. AFCD – removal of buffalo on South Lantau
Following our meeting with AFCD in December, we were invited to join other green groups at a meeting at AFCD’s office on 30 January. At this meeting, the following concerns were established:
- Discrepancy between AFCD’s estimate of total buffalo population and that of local buffalo experts.
- The government position is that buffalo have no heritage value, so there are no conservation measures in place.
- AFCD recognise that the employment of herdsmen has reduced the number of unruly incidents; however due to budgetary cuts, the number of herdsmen has been reduced from five to two.
- A crucial issue is the number of “intact” female buffaloes still on Lantau as there need to be enough births to keep the population stable.
LIM is seeking a further meeting with AFCD to advocate that the total population has already been sufficiently reduced and to lobby for reinstating additional herdsmen. We will also discuss the conservation value of buffalo with other relevant departments, including Sustainable Lantau Office, drawing on recent academic research that firmly establishes the role of buffalo in wetlands ecosystems.
2. Town Planning Board Meeting – rezoning of South Lantau Coast
In September 2023, the Development Bureau posted its Draft Plan to rezone the Pui O wetlands and the Shui Hau sandflats and adjacent woodlands from “Coastal Protection Area” to “Conservation Area”, and to rezone a large area in Pui O alongside the South Lantau Road from “Coastal Protection Area” to “Recreation”.
LIM, along with 730 other individuals and organisations, made a written representation. On the whole, ours supported the rezoning of the first two areas, along with the enhanced legal protection for these areas delivered by the Regulated Area scheme. We did not support the extent of the area in Pui O to be rezoned “Recreation”, and argued that this should be limited to the existing brownfield sites alongside the road, and the wetlands within this area should be rezoned “Conservation”.
On 2 February, The Town Planning Board invited the individuals and organisations that had made written submissions to make oral presentations in support of their representations. LIM reiterated our case:
- The rezoned Conservation Areas should require planning permission for agricultural and on-farm domestic structures, particularly fencing.
- The proposed Recreation area should be limited to existing brownfield sites, and corresponding expansion of the Conservation area.
- The proposed Recreation area should be designated as a Regulated Area in order that planning intentions can be enforced.
16 other green groups and around 10 individuals also attended the meeting.
The Town Planning Board did not “uphold” any of the Representations at this first hearing, however there will be a period for making “Further Representation” starting shortly. We will be using information gleaned from the first meeting, including the full minutes when published and feedback and responses from government departments, to hone our arguments finer for such Further Representations and the final hearing which should take place in the coming months.
Overall, we hope that the rezoning of Pui O wetlands and Shui Hau sandflats will ultimately provide the long-needed protection for these unique areas for which we have campaigned for many years.
3. CEDD – Mui Wo Facelift
We had one of our regular meetings with CEDD and the project contractors on 5 February. The main things we learnt were:
- The new Cargo Loading and Unloading quay in the port area was finished in late January and is now in use.
- Parking spaces for 19 trucks and 10 coaches have been provided in this area and are also now in use.
- Temporary parking for over 1,000 bicycles and 20 cars on the Southern Waterfront will be in place by the end of February.
- The old bicycle parking area next to the Ferry Pier will be closed at the end of March.
- Trees will transplanted to the end of the Southern Waterfront during April.
- Site formation and Piling works for the new buildings in front of the Ferry Pier (Cooked Food Market, Bicycle and Car Parks) will take place from April to October this year.
- This will involve a number of large rigs and cranes being on what will be a crowded site, but one enclosed with suitable noise construction and noise barriers.
- The footprint for the new buildings in front of the Ferry Pier will be closed for about 2 Years.
- The old paid parking lot and rest area are currently being cleared and will be the site of the new Bus Terminal.
- The new Bus Terminal is scheduled to open around mid-2025.
- In the meantime, new temporary access and exit roads for buses will be opened around the end of April.
On some of the specific issues that are of current concern to residents, we understand that:
- The provision of a proper access path from the Ferry Pier to the Southern Waterfront has been delayed slightly by technical issues (unexpected presence of a CLP power cable etc.) but these should be resolved shortly.
- Trees that are being preserved for replanting later are being carefully unearthed to avoid damage to the roots from concrete etc. and may be stored offsite for a while.
- Local experts including Paul Melsom are being consulted on the selection of additional new trees for planting in the Ferry Pier Plaza when it is ready in 2026.
- Measures needed to protect the large Indian Rubber Tree In the old paid Parking Area are being urgently investigated and implemented.
- Work to reduce the footprint of the Roundabout is also being delayed due to the discovery of two large water supply main pipes near the surface of the road. These will have to be diverted and/or entrenched.
- Temporary Traffic Arrangements for buses, taxis etc. mean that there will be no car parking in the area near McDonalds. There will however be a few spaces for drop-offs only.
Overall, we came away with the impression that the project is largely on track. We were also pleased that CEDD and the contractor are keen to pay close attention to residents’ concerns as they arise.
Finally on this point we have been urging the CEDD and the contractors to install information and signage boards in prominent locations in the Ferry Pier area so that residents and visitors alike can have a better understanding of the scope of project and see what the future Mui Wo will look like. We understand that information boards are being prepared and should be installed in the coming weeks.
The LIM Committee wishes everyone an auspicious Year of the Dragon! Stay tuned for more updates and don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to get involved.