Lantau Plan May Stop At 1,000 Hectares: Ronny Tong

Executive Councillor Ronny Tong on Wednesday indicated that the government may not, in the end, push ahead with the full 1,700 hectare reclamation in its Lantau Tomorrow Vision project.

On Tuesday, the government announced it would first reclaim, 1000 hectares off Lantau to provide more housing at a cost of HK$624 billion – making it the city's most expensive infrastructure project.

Tong says it's money well spent: "Well obviously a responsible government has to listen to what the people of Hong Kong say.

"And bearing everything in mind, the government is now saying - as I understand it - we will start with just 1,000 hectares, which I think is a responsible way of doing things, and we'll see how it goes."

On Tuesday, Development Secretary Michael Wong it would cost HK$624 billion to build artificial islands around Kau Yi Chau, as well as to pay for further reclamation projects in Sunny Bay and Lung Kwu Tan, and to develop coastal areas of Tuen Mun.

He said despite the extremely high cost, the project will be worthwhile because it will greatly improve people's lives.

Officials say the 1,000 hectares of reclaimed land around Kau Yi Chau will be able to house up to 260,000 flats.