Policy Address
Development of Tuen Mun West
102. The Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Tunnel scheduled for commissioning at the end of this year and the MTR Tuen Mun South Extension, which is now at the detailed planning and design stage, will help drive the development of Tuen Mun West. We continue to prepare for the planning and engineering studies on the development potential of the reclaimed land at Lung Kwu Tan (about 220 hectares) and the coastal area at Tuen Mun West (about 220 hectares). We will also review the need for the River Trade Terminal through these studies, with a view to increasing the potential of the Tuen Mun West area for residential development and/or other more beneficial uses.
Lantau Tomorrow Vision
103. While the above-mentioned multi-pronged land creation efforts will undoubtedly provide part of the medium-term housing supply beyond the 10-year period under the existing LTHS, the medium- and long-term housing needs of our people can hardly be fully met, not to mention building a more spacious living environment. Among the many land supply options, the Lantau Tomorrow Vision is the largest in scale and could provide the greatest amount of land. The current funding application is for conducting studies on the artificial islands in the Central Waters involving the reclamation of 1 000 hectares and the provision of related strategic transport infrastructure. Originated from the Enhancing Land Supply Strategy in 2011, the concept of reclamation in East Lantau has been explored and discussed by the community for almost a decade and should not be subject to further delay. If we all act in an objective and fair manner with the long-term interests of Hong Kong in mind, we will understand that reclamation for developing artificial islands in the Central Waters under the Lantau Tomorrow Vision has a number of advantages, including creating new land (instead of solely changing the use of existing land from one to another), increasing housing supply with a proportion of 70% for public housing, optimising the transport network of Hong Kong as a whole and relieving traffic congestion in the Northwest New Territories by linking up the roads and railways on Hong Kong Island, North Lantau and the coastal areas of Tuen Mun, developing a liveable and carbon-neutral community, boosting the commercial development potential of North Lantau, and addressing environmental issues by absorbing local public fill instead of sending it to sites outside Hong Kong for reclamation. In terms of financing, the project is practicable and will bring enormous economic benefits to Hong Kong.
104. Although we have already secured support from the Public Works Subcommittee of the LegCo for the study in May last year, funding approval has yet to be obtained. For the sake of Hong Kong’s future, the current-term Government will not give up on the Lantau Tomorrow Vision and will strive for the early commencement of the relevant studies. I pledge that the Government will continue to listen to the views of various sectors of the community and proactively explore new financing options for the project in the course of the studies.
