Urban planning must reflect Hong Kong's great need for community and open space
Ian Brownlee says a single-minded focus on residential housing will affect Hong Kong's liveability
There is no doubt that the previous administration did not put enough land up for sale. Housing supply dropped to a level that affected the affordability of homes in Hong Kong. But affordability of housing is a worldwide problem, not just here.
The present administration is totally focused on the provision of residential flats. One unintended outcome is likely to be the long-term shortage of open space, and community and institutional facilities for the people who will live in these new flats - and for the existing residents.
At the same time, there is wide recognition that social support needs for the community are changing and increasing as the population ages, and as economic changes drive more lower-income manual jobs out of Hong Kong. Some of these issues are covered in the chief executive's policy address, but they are not getting sufficient focus in the provision of land and facilities.
The government is pressuring the Town Planning Board to rezone sites for housing that are reserved for open space and government, institutional and community uses.
There is growing resistance to this from local residents and district councils across Hong Kong - recently in Shau Kei Wan and Kwai Chung, for example - as people become aware of the consequences.
Irrespective of informed and cogent arguments from local people, these community sites have been rezoned and this is likely to continue as the housing machine moves relentlessly onward.
