Hong Kong government loses appeal over Fanling golf course housing plan

In a setback for the Hong Kong government's push to increase the supply of short-term public housing, the Court of Appeal on Monday overturned conditional approval for building 12,000 flats on part of Hong Kong's oldest golf course. The judges found that the approval process was flawed, citing an unfair public consultation, improper conditions, and a failure to adhere to wildlife conservation objectives.

As a result, the government will need to conduct new public consultations on developing 9.5 hectares of the 32 hectares of land taken from the golf course. The project, initially scheduled for completion in 2029, has now been delayed. The Hong Kong Golf Club welcomed the decision, describing the course as a "precious living heritage" and pledging to work with the government to preserve the course and maximize its value for Hong Kong.

The club, which manages 140 hectares of the land, won a judicial review in late 2024 to challenge the government's approval of the environmental impact assessment report. The Court of Appeal upheld the lower court's ruling, dismissing the government's arguments that the amendments to the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance in June 2023 exempted the director from reviewing environmental studies conducted before the changes.

The case has implications for LIV Golf Hong Kong, an international tournament expected to be held at the Fanling course in February 2025, which may face financial uncertainty due to the withdrawal of support from the Saudi Public Investment Fund.