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Letter to Sir David Wilson, Governor - Petition for his rejection of the Proposed Golf Course at Shalotong

Sir David Wilson
Government House
Lower Albert Road
Hong Kong

19 January 1992

Dear Sir David

PETITION FOR YOUR REJECTION OF THE PROPOSED GOLF COURSE AT SHALOTONG

I am writing on behalf of the Hong Kong Democratic Foundation to urge you to reject the proposal for the golf course and related development at Shalotong when it comes before you for approval.

As you are aware, the Shalotong village lies in a valley of great natural beauty in the centre of the Pat Sin Long Country Park, the village itself being outside the country park boundary. The developer has proposed turning the village and surrounding area, together with 32 hectares of the country park, into a development comprising a golf course, 200 apartments, 160 village houses and 66 additional house. These would all be for private use, except that the public would be allowed 25% usage of the golf course on a fee-paying basis. This proposal has been strongly criticised by the public, who have had no say in the approval of the development by the Country Parks Board.

Your Governorship has been characterised by growing public awareness of conservation issues and major steps to improve the environment. This is due in no small part to your own efforts, beginning with your address to the Legislative Council on 12 October 1988. We urge you to crown than efforts by upholding the principle that Hong Kong's country parks are for the enjoyment of the Hong Kong people as a whole, not to development for private profit.

Why you should reject the proposal

1 Illegality

The proposal is in clear breach of the Country Parks Ordinance. The procedures for public consultation in sections 8 to 15 of the Ordinance have not been observed. Regulations 2 and 11 prohibit the playing of competitive team games or sporting competitions within the country park. While the use of the parks for "recreation and tourism" is envisaged by the Ordinance, the development as a whole comprises private residential housing and urban infrastructure, which does not meet this definition. The Ordinance provides for the "public enjoyment" of the country parks. 25% enjoyment by those members of the public able to pay the high fees of the part of the development comprising the golf course does not constitute "public enjoyment of the development as a whole. We urge you to ensure that the law is observed.

2 Public policy

Since their establishment by the former Governor, now Lord Maclehose the country parks have provided the people of Hong Kong with vital recreation and relief from the crowded urban areas. Some 9.2 million people visited the country parks in 1989/90 and the number is increasing each year. The preservation of country park land in its natural beauty is a well established principle of public policy since the mid-1970s. This policy should be maintained in the Shalotong case.

3 Environmental damage

The environmental damage that the proposal will cause will significant and has not been properly studied. The development will threaten a hundred year old fung shui wood and the habitat of certain protected mammals. The run off of pesticide and other chemicals used to maintain the golf course will pollute the Hok Tau reservoir. The need for heavy equipment to gain access, and the drainage, sewage and leveling works, would spill over into the whole valley and approaches. The development as a whole, sited as it is in the centre of the valley, will "substantially reduce the enjoyment and amenities of the country park as such" (Section 16(1) of the Ordinance) and should be rejected on this ground.

4 Precedent

If the proposed development goes ahead, a precedent will have been set that threatens our other country parks. There are already proposals in train to use country park land adjacent to Luk Keng and Pak Sha O to construct golf courses. Approval for a golf course at Shalotona would usher in the further erosion of the country parks.

Our petition

We petition you to reject the proposal for the commercial development at Shalotong, and to reaffirm the integrity of the country parks. You will thereby do the people of Hong Kong a lasting service, which will benefit future generations as well as the people living in Hong Kong today.

For the better protection of our country parks principles as to their use should be included in the Government s conservation policy which we understand is to be drafted this year. We respectfully attach for your consideration an Appendix giving a list of points arising from the Shalotong episode which have wider implications for such a conservation policy.

Yours sincerely

Dr Patrick Shiu
Chairman

Enclosure