CTA says: issue a ‘Use it or Lose it’ declaration on developer land banks
They are sitting on agricultural land for years waiting to get some corrupt Govt officer to change its status for residential development
A new alliance will mark December 13 as Country Parks Appreciation Day in an effort to stymie those who eye natural spaces as potential sites for housing.
The Save Our Country Parks Alliance of 29 green groups is launching what is planned to be an annual event.
Lam Chiu-ying, an adjunct professor at the Chinese University and a former director of the Hong Kong Observatory, hopes the day will remind everyone of the value of country parks.
Lam wants people to take photos of themselves in parks on December 13 and tag it “SaveOurCountryParks” on social media so the alliance may gauge how many people back the campaign. The intention is to show “a lot of people in Hong Kong love our country parks.”
The alliance is recruiting volunteers for visitor counting and promotion work at park entrances on the day.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has spoken of using park land with “low ecological value” for housing, and a foundation led by a predecessor, Tung Chee-hwa, wants a review on park use.
One of Lam’s university colleagues, Ng Sai-leung, said planners should consider developing brownfield sites, golf courses and military sites before parks.