Legco Approves Funds For Studies On Lantau Tomorrow

Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a HK$550 million government funding request on Friday, for feasibility studies on a massive reclamation project off Lantau.

The government is aiming to create a thousand hectares of land for its Lantau Tomorrow project, at an estimated cost of HK$642 billion – in what would be Hong Kong’s costliest infrastructure project ever.

As expected, there wasn’t much opposition to the plan in the Legislative Council, which has been left any pan-democrats following a series of disqualifications and resignations.

Filibusters launched by the pan-dems had in the past thwarted the authorities from seeking the funds they need, but without them, 33 lawmakers on Friday voted to approve the funds, with two votes against and two abstentions.

During a meeting of Legco’s Finance Committee, many lawmakers spoke of how the project would create much-needed land for housing and development, though some expressed concerns on how Hong Kong would pay for the mega project.

But Development secretary Michael Wong assured them that there are no ‘insurmountable challenges’ facing the project, and estimated that it would eventually bring in HK$707 billion in revenue – enough to cover the costs.

Wong said the administration will be looking at different financing options – including a public-private funding model – and would consult the public after weighing the pros and cons of various options.

He also dismissed suggestions that the government would forge ahead with the controversial project no matter what.

“There are mechanisms in place,” he said.

“We have to go through the town planning process at the Town Planning Board, and then for the environment, transport and the layout, we have to look at whether the whole proposal is feasible."

The feasibility study is expected to take three and a half years to complete.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam had said in her recent policy address that the project would go a long way to helping Hong Kong address its chronic shortage of land and housing, although critics say the costly initiative would deplete Hong Kong's coffers and wreak the marine environment.