CHALLENGES amidst the changing society

Mui Wo Public Housing

On top of the decline of the fishing industry and change of traditional boat dwellers’ lifestyle, the housing shortage issue also ushered traditional fishing villages to change. According to the Lantau Tomorrow Vision development project proposed by the Government of Hong Kong in 2018, artificial islands will be built near Lantau Island and Mui Wo will be re-developed to a new town accommodating more population.

As the first step, two high-rise residential estates Ngan Ho Court and Ngan Wai Court were built in 2017. Despite controversy among indigenous villagers in Mui Wo, the project finished smoothly as to prioritise housing shortage issues over conservation of natural scenery.

Island Of Fear

Once the Lantau Tomorrow Vision development project launches, the construction of artificial islands through massive land reclamation would be conducted.

The water area containing diverse species and natural resources near the eastern waters of Lantau Island would be influenced on a colossal scale, needless to mention the influence to the natural scenery of Lantau Island.

Lantau Development

Despite the concerns among environmental organisations and Lantau Island indigenous villagers, the Lantau Tomorrow Vision development project is still poised to strive – as to tackle the long-term issue of Hong Kong: land shortage.

To provide more land sources, Hong Kong has always been adopting the method of reclamation for creating new towns. Latest new town development projects based on reclamation such as Tseung Kwan O, Ma On Shan and part of Apleichau, were all planned in the 90s and developed into mature communities today – during the time when the awarenesses on sustainability and environmental protection among the general public were not heightened. Thus, it might be inevitable to see the government launching reclamation projects as long as the land shortage issue could not be tackled.

Nevertheless, Lantau Island seems to be a special case this time. The unprecedented huge scale of reclamation and the proximate location to the hidden garden for Hong Kong people –Lantau Island, raised concerns exceedingly among the general public. Before it loses its fascinating natural scenery, it might be the last chance for us to treasure this last piece of green in the concrete jungle.

Fishing Village In The Contrete Jungle

Located off the south shore of Hong Kong Island, Apleichau is one of the most densely populated islands around the globe with high-rise condominiums from the seashore all up to the mountain, alongside modern commercial and industrial buildings, with modern mass transit connecting the island to the central area of Hong Kong.

This thoroughly urbanized island, however, was nothing more than an ordinary fishing islet before a massive urbanization plan launched by the British Hong Kong Government, as to settle the colossal amount of immigrants from China and to respond to the rapid development of Hong Kong. With its name literally symbolizing tongue (Lei) of a duck (Ap) in Cantonese, Apleichau remains its historical background of how inhabitant fishermen named the island by resembling nature, before it had turned into a concrete jungle as we see. From an obscure fishing island to the renowned densely populated island, we hope to see the inherent culture through fishermen’s life amidst this modern community.