The Politics Of Planning In Hong Kong

With three major pieces of prime public land slated for development, Hong Kong government officials are facing opposition from an increasing organized public, which is calling for a more open and transparent planning process.

"'There is something very wrong with our planning vision. There is no vision,' says Justyna Karakiewicz, an assistant professor in architecture at the University of Hong Kong. 'Hong Kong is the only true compact city in the world. We suffer from a tremendous land shortage, but the way we waste land is staggering.' Just look at the massive reclamation in West Kowloon, she says, which was reclaimed before a real concept had been finalized and which still doesn’t have a workable plan."