Hong Kong gov’t says it will not appeal court ruling overturning Fanling Golf Course housing approval

The Hong Kong government announced on Thursday that it will not appeal a court ruling that struck down approval for constructing 12,000 public rental flats on a portion of the historic Fanling Golf Course. The decision came after the government thoroughly reviewed legal advice and assessed the situation cautiously following its losses at both the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal in 2024.

The court's decision was based on the argument that there was insufficient public consultation during the preparation of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, which allowed the public housing development to proceed. The Hong Kong Golf Club, the operator of the Fanling Golf Course, had challenged the government's approval of the EIA report, claiming there was a lack of public input when additional information was included.

However, the Court of Appeal ruled that the additional information was not material enough to warrant further consultation, and the unfairness stemmed from the failure to hold additional public meetings. The government acknowledged that the ruling clarified that not all information added to an EIA report requires additional public consultation, and it will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Housing officials expressed confidence that the average waiting time for a public rental flat could be reduced to 4.5 years by the end of the current administration's term in June 2026, as the current average was 4.8 years.