Here's a glimpse of brewing plans for reclamation sites

Stage one report is in works.

According to a government release, Secretary for Development Paul Chan says the Government plans to propose potential sites for reclamation and rock cavern development early next year.

He told lawmakers today the stage one public engagement exercise for Enhancing Land Supply Strategy: Reclamation Outside Victoria Harbour & Rock Cavern Development ended in March.

He said he hopes to publish the stage one report and propose several possible sites worthy of further consideration for reclamation and rock cavern development to launch the stage two exercise in the first quarter of next year.

“I would like to reiterate the 25 possible reclamation sites announced in January this year do not constitute a list of proposed reclamation sites. Therefore, there is no question of removing any site from the list,” he said.

On the designation of Wu Kai Sha as a statutory beach, Mr Chan said the Home Affairs Bureau and the Leisure & Cultural Services Department noted the Sha Tin District Council recommended the department consider, in light of the future development of Pak Shek, the feasibility of providing a beach nearby. He said the department did not have any development programme for the project as it was not a priority item of the council.

To consider designating this natural beach as a statutory beach, the department has to consider the location of the proposed site, the provision of public swimming facilities in the neighbourhood, the condition of the existing beach, the water quality of the nearby areas, the feasibility of developing support facilities, the potential impact on local residents and the land and marine environment, and the views of community groups.