Date: 22nd April 2012 (Earth Day)
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Route: From (Old) Legislative Council Building [Jackson Road, Central]  To   Tamar Central Government Complex
Dress Code: Blue or Light Blue

Our concern:
There are various activities all over the world promoting and advocating environmental protection on 22nd April (Earth Day) every year. Currently in Hong Kong, there are serious threats towards our ocean. The government proposed to have reclamation for land reserve. Suggested sites include Castle Peak Bay, Cheung Chau, Wu Kai Sha, Tolo Harbour and Tseung Kwan O, etc.

Reclamation causes irreversible damage to ecology and marine landscape. It should be regarded as a last resort instead of a readily choice. Our government should first have population control policy and also address the problem of private buildings being developed as or promoted as high price luxurious buildings.

Moreover, the government proposed to have reclamation for the construction of the 3rd runway, which is of the size of 650 hectares, at the North Lamma; while another proposed reclamation for a mega-incinerator in Shek Kwu Chau.

If you love marine life, appreciate the invaluable ocean, and think that it should not be filled with concrete and construction wastes, please come and join us on 22nd April – Anti Reclamation Demonstration!

Green Sense posted advertisement in two newspapers last week, inviting “developers with conscience”. We hope prospective developer promises to spare an east-west and 15m wide ventilation 廊。corridor in the middle of the construction site (Chinese version available only : http://www.greensense.org.hk/good_developer). There is a developer who agreed to promise but would like to announce before the land sale is about to start.  

Unfortunately, most developers have not indicated that they would make such promise. We, Green Sense, displayed tiger dolls to express our determination in negotiating with the developers. In Chinese idiom, it also means a mission impossible. “Only if the government states clearly on the Conditions of Sale, will developers beware the negative consequences of the construction of walled buildings. Expecting developers to be self-motivated will be unrealistic. The latter situation is like ‘asking a tiger for its skin’ said President of Green Sense, Mr. Roy Tam hoi-pong. We put logos of developers, which have not promised to improve their plan, and the photos of their managerial persons on the “to be conscientious” board, hoping that they will recall their conscience before the land sale.  

We will place two exhibition boards outside the auction hall. One shows “Developers with Conscience” and the other shows “Developers to be conscientious”. Developers can indicate an agreement simply by moving their company’s logo to the “Developers with Conscience” board.

We also suggest Financial Secretary, Mr. John Tsang and Secretary for Development, Mrs. Carrie Lam, enhance the quality of land supply and application for land sale, including setting up windows in hotels and commercial land in order to reduce the use of air conditioning. We urge government to speed up the review of policy about ‘inflated’ buildings and significantly reduce exemption items for the calculation of gross floor area.

At present, many developers only build large units. We recommend limiting the average size per sq. ft. of all units in order to ensure large and small units are both available and at the same time ensure design flexibility. The price for a new estate in Yuen Long is even up to $5,000 sq. ft. The price has probably been pushed up by Mainland investors. The private residential real estate market is unable to maintain a reasonable price for the locals. The only solution is to resume house building under the “Home Ownership Scheme”.

Six Recommendations on Land Policy

*All words and expressions should be construed according to the press release in Chinese.