Campaigner backs review of golf course housing plan
A conservation campaigner on Tuesday welcomed a decision by planners to revisit plans to develop part of the Fanling golf course for public housing.  Roy Ng, from The Conservancy Association, said the Town Planning Board's decision to temporarily reclassify the use of the site as "undetermined" would allow officials to address concerns about the project, including its environmental impact.  The Hong Kong Golf Club is seeking a judicial review of the environmental impact assessment report, saying it lacked public consultation and underestimated the course's ecological value. But Ng said it's not the effect on golf that concerns him. "[Whether] the golf course is successful or not is not what I am concerned about. My concern is whether the existing plan could safeguard our environment. For example, in recent years, we have mentioned the ecological importance in this area… I would like to see if the judicial review would come to final decision in the future." The Society for Community Organisation (SoCO), meanwhile, called on the authorities to engage in dialogue with the Hong Kong Golf Club and discuss how best to balance the society’s housing and recreational needs.  "For the development of the housing and for the benefit of the grassroots, we hope they [Hong Kong Golf Club] will consider withdrawing their judicial review and have a dialogue with the government and see how to arrange a balance between all things," Sze Lai-shan of SoCO said.  The Town Planning Board, for its part, said the public can submit their views on the issue over the next three weeks.