Green Group Backs Reclamation For Cycle Track

The Society for Protection of the Harbour on Tuesday said it will not object to a government plan to reclaim land for a cycle track network in the New Territories.

The 82-kilometre New Territories Cycle Track Network will connect Ma On Shan with Tsuen Wan.

While much of the network has been completed, the remaining 17 kilometres follow the coastline from So Kwun Wat to Tsuen Wan, with three kilometres running along Victoria Harbour that require reclamation at two locations.

The Protection of the Harbour Ordinance has a presumption against reclamation in order to protect the harbour, but a Court of Final Appeal judgement states that reclamation projects can go ahead if they fulfil an overriding public need requirement.

Paul Zimmerman, an honorary adviser for the society, said he agrees there is an "overriding public need” for the cycle track.

"To complete that section, which is also partly in Victoria Harbour, the cycle track will have to run over the harbour itself. There is no alternative," he told RTHK.

"There's a great benefit of the cycle track. It allows many more people to enjoy the harbourfront."

Zimmerman added that he believes the reclamation work will have little effect on the local marine ecology.

"The immediate negative impact is that it reduces the size of the harbour, but whether this will damage the ecology or affect the shipping traffic, we believe there will be very little impact on it."