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"One Last Call" to Speak Up for Nam Sang Wai wetlands

The battle over Nam Sang Wai conservation and private development has been continuing for 30 years, along with the town planning process. In 2022, the Appeal Board conditionally approved the Nam Sang Wai Wetland high-rise development plan (A/YL-NSW/242) by a vote of three to two, giving the green light under town planning mechanism. On 21 February this year, the environmental impact assessment report was officially released and a 30-day public consultation also started on the same day.

The developers plan to construct nearly 170 buildings, including 28 residential towers ranging from 19 to 25 stories and 140 three-storey houses within the "Wetland Conservation Area" of Nam Sang Wai, bringing 6,500 population.

This EIA application marks the final statutory procedure with public monitoring throughout the Nam Sang Wai's land development process, which is also the last opportunity for the public to voice their concerns.

Nam Sang Wai consists of diverse wetland habitats such as reed beds, wet grasslands, operating fishponds, and abandoned fishponds, providing nesting, roosting and foraging spaces for various waterbirds with different habitat requirements, holding high ecological value. It is an indispensable part of the Deep Bay wetland, an internationally recognized wetland of importance. The development would bring the following environmental issues.

• The project is situated in the wetland core area, leading to a permanent loss of 11.6 hectares of habitats where over 90% are wetlands.
• High-rise buildings, a population of 6,500, and tourism developments are immediately adjacent to the HK’s largest night roost of Great Cormorant and the breeding ground of the endemic Mai Po Bent-winged Firefly, and close to the roosting and breeding habitats of ardeids, which will unavoidably cause enormous disturbance to these sensitive species.
• The project proposes to construct a vehicular bridge over Shan Pui River, connecting Nam Sang Wai and Yuen Long Industrial Estate, which will further undermine the ecological connectivity and integrity of Shan Pui River and the entire Deep Bay wetland.
• Multiple wetland development projects in Deep Bay are going to commence simultaneously, leading to significant wetland loss and cumulative impacts that may result in irreversible ecological consequences.
• The Nam Sang Wai development project overlaps with the area that is potentially included in the wetland conservation park. This development will mean a further reduction in the size of the conservation park system, contradicting the original intention of proactive conservation.
• The high-rise building cluster will create landscape and visual pollution, and undermine the ecological resources, obstructing the government from establishing a wetland conservation park themed as a "Bird Paradise" in Nam Sang Wai.

Once the environmental impact assessment is approved, the construction can proceed upon completing the remaining procedures like land premium issue. Permanent harm to the ecological integrity of the Deep Bay wetlands will probably be caused. The environmental consultation will end on 22 March. Please seize this final opportunity to protect Nam Sang Wai and submit your comments regarding the EIA report to the Environmental Protection Department.

You may submit your comments to EPD through email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or by using the official EIA website: https://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/
Full EIA Report：https://bit.ly/43uYGwr