(Source: Apple Daily), WhatsApped from my Chinese relatives. Translated by HK Real News:

"Lamma ‎Property‬ development project "Baroque on Lamma", rejected by Town Planning Board 3 years ago, returns!

In the next few days, Agile Property together with King Wong Gp will apply for TPB's approval for a yacht club + hotel + luxurious property project in South of Lamma.

This HK$10 billion project, according to Agile's CFO Cheung Sum, is about building an international grade project which can demonstrate that natural preservation & development can co-exist. The development will, according to Tiu Chin-wai, project director of Baroque, the development is not a "rich's heaven" but will include a number of public facilities and look similar to Stanley.

Many environmental groups object the development project due to the potential damage it could bring to the habitat of Romer's tree frogs (only found in HK so far), Green sea turtles, finless porpoises and many other endangered species."

Apple Daily -- Apple Daily video
HK Real News translation -- HK Free Press

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One of the rare supportive stories, from China Daily:

Lamma marina may resolve shortage of berths

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China Daily supports Mainland Agile Property to solve HK's pressing needs...I guess CCP members must be having a hard time finding moorings for their luxury yachts these days.

Some South Lamma thoughts on the re-launch of The Baroque project
Compiled by Megaen Kelly

"As most readers of Lamma-zine know by now, the developers who were thwarted just three years ago in getting their multi-billion dollar luxury plans off the ground are at it again. The Baroque project, to be built primarily in the Tung O part of Lamma but which undoubtedly will have a knock on effect to other areas, includes high-end features such as a marina for extra-large yachts unable to be accommodated elsewhere in Hong Kong, a hotel, and pricey apartments, the latter rumoured to be too expensive for locals and thus geared towards wealthy Mainlanders hoping to get their money out of China. But that could be strictly hear-say.

Arguably the most vocal opposition to this project has come from Mo Tat, with residents there forming an actual anti-Baroque group and were instrumental in getting it halted the first time around. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to speak with anyone from Mo Tat, but we welcome anyone who would like to share their opinions about the development to contact Lamma-Gung.

That said, I showed a few Sok Kwu Wan expats the designs and brief outline of the planned venture. Of those a few said they didn’t want to go on record with their opinion, as they didn’t know who their ‘landlords were in bed with’. Fair enough. It is a highly polarising topic, with many local businesses all for the project as they envision hoards of people coming to Lamma and thus increasing their income. On the other side of the coin are the people who moved to Lamma in the first place to get far from the maddening crowds (except weekends when there’s no escaping!).

The couple of people willing to comment first noted the problems with the proposed marina. Bo, a seven year Lamma resident and a highly skilled sailor, competing in many races and competitions, opined that the water was too deep for a marina, meaning building of one would be a logistical nightmare.

Adding to this David, a 10 year Lamma resident and boat owner said that ‘no one in their right mind would build an east-facing marina. You would be sailing directly into the prevailing winds.’

Something to consider developers.

One of the main reasons why the project did not get green lit before was the lack of transparency in terms of environmental impact. That was the winning point for the anti-Baroque group and how the project will affect the local surroundings is still of high importance to residents . Bo says, ‘If you are allowed to start building in a conservation area, it sets a bad precedence’.

Indeed.

But how do you both really feel. Bo again, ‘It’s just a land grab. They won’t take no for an answer.’ David states, ‘We don’t need it. It’s just a way for someone to make a lot of money. Just leave things the way they are.’

Again, if you have an opinion on either side of the Baroque project, please let us know. In the meantime, we will keep you updated on events as they unfold."[/i]

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The developers don't care about a marina.
It's just an excuse to get the land to build expensive flats.

Disco Bay was supposed to be a holiday resort.
Has anyone ever gone there for a holiday?

Cyberport was meant to be our Silicon Valley incubator.
It has barely any "cyber" companies.
It's a shopping mall, expensive flats, a cinema.


Lamma has been inhabited by a maritime culture for about 3000 years. In that time Tung O was never used as a harbour.
Not out of respect for turtles, but because it's a bad place to have one.

Another casual meeting with the Baroque on Lamma's top man yesterday...

Summary: No news is good news, basically just waiting for a change in political climate before applying again to the Town Planning Board (turned down the 1st time in 2011).

Their extensive, detailed, modified plans to build a high-class marina (large enough for 100m superyachts), luxury housing development and a 6-star resort hotel, all in southernmost Lamma's Tung O Wan area. The hotel would be a 6-star Capella hotel by the very same Capella Hotels and Resorts Group that housed the Trump-Kim summit a few weeks ago in their hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island.

So this HK$10 billion+ project by the Mainland's Agile Property group is sleeping for now, to be awoken as soon as the prevailing political climate will shift, becoming more welcoming and less hostile to their huge plans for southernmost Lamma.

Keep up to date with this project in this long-running forum, starting long before the first TPB application...

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Still complete fantasy BS worthy of Donald Trump.

Yes, they should include building a wall to keep the hippies out

No more hippies? But they make the island so much more colourful and beautiful!!

How would a wall keep them out anyway? The Hippie bulbs (Hippeastrum) might be smuggled in easily or propagated right on the island!

Right now, at least one very powerful, secretive "Hippie baron" is cultivating in his secretive plantation(s) in the middle of some Lamma forests!

Woe betide all those poor souls who've ever witnessed this secretive hideaway, their continued well-being, even survival might be in serious jeopardy, especially if they'd ever uttered a word about the secretive location(s) to anybody, even at a late-night, drunken World Cup game in a not very secretive YSW bar!

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I've been wondering where all the hippies vanished. It appears (or not) that he's been hiding in the middle of some Lamma forests along with his unspecified horticulture which should not be talked about.

How exciting. Just one male and no females? Could he be captured and, umm, cloned just in case, while a female of some related species could be located and transported to his territory?

In fact just last month I thought I spotted a rare female hippie on Lamma, but it turned out to be just an earth mama.

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"Non calor sed umor est qui nobis incommodat!"

You spotted just one Earth Mama in YSW? They seem to strengthen in numbers quite rapidly in recent months. The local eco-system seems to be very conducive for them, with their preferred foodstuffs available in several locations, like Just Green, Bookworm Café, Green Cottage and numerous shops that have added their preferred exotic, expensive items to their collection of goods on offer: superfoods, vegan/vegetarian items, "organic/natural" this-and-that, gardening supplies for all persuasions, alternative lifestyle supplies,... Wandering through YSW Main Street or frequent some of the many bars might also get you exposed to quite a few alternative lifestyles and ideas, including the latest UFO and conspiracy theories.

Favourite hangouts for the Earth Mama's off-spring are the increasing number of arts & crafts venues, playgroups, kid classes and events, happening in the Lamma Art Collective, Love's Dance Studio, Fa Fa House's new Treehouse and several other venues. Even so-called super-gifted Indigo children have been rumoured to be living here nowadays, even though senior Lammaites doubt their very existence:
See this introductory post in the "Lamma Island Uncensored" FB group where a new "Lightworker & Tutor for Indigo Children" is advertising her services, plus the often humourous replies to her. Many other, more-down-to-earth services are widely advertised here for Earth Mamas and their offspring. They all seem to appreciate "Lamma Life" and continue to multiply here enthusiastically.

Mentioning Lamma Life, I might be going to a Lamma Life party tonight, expecting to encounter some Lamma Mamas and Papas there:

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