Reclamation: a Century-old Urban Development Strategy under Fire in Hong Kong

Abstract

Hong Kong has a long history of creating urban land by reclamation. The leasehold system, coupled with the production of new land, is a major source of government revenue. The executive-led government's objective of economic growth, rather than improving the overall quality of life, to a large degree explains the reclamation strategy. This objective and the means of achieving it, are now being challenged by a democratizing Hong Kong society. The current controversy about the central harbour reclamation is a reflection of this. The paper argues that further large scale harbour reclamation is not sustainable, and recommends that the government work together with its citizens on an integrated urban development strategy comprising urban renewal and better planning of the New Territories in the regional context.