The former "Cement Factory" inside the Lamma Quarry in Sok Kwu Wan has become a hive of activities recently, lots of boats of all sizes coming and going, from little launches with teenagers to ferries to huge boats, like the "Shun Hang No 2" below which I watched yesterday afternoon from the pavilion above the ex-Cement Factory. A tug boat pulled it through SKW harbour to the ex-Cement Factory's ferry pier and left it there.

Does anybody have an idea what this huge barge could be useful for?

As this area is zoned as Commercial Development Area, many types of commercial developments would be permitted in there, after getting Govt. permission first, of course. It looks like there's some construction inside the structures in progress?

Has anybody been in there recently? Time to explore! Anybody got an idea what's happening in there? They're quite secretive as it's privately owned and at least one "guard/groundskeeper" lives in there permanently.<HR>
Meanwhile, the neighbouring Lamma ex-Quarry is being studied by Govt. consultants for 2.5 years, making suggestions on the "feasibility" of developing the ex-Quarry for various uses, including public AND private housing. Potential scenarios of housing up to 50,000 residents are being brainstormed, according to people with good contacts. Just ideas at this point, but....

All of this would have a far bigger impact on Lamma's future than anything that BoL is planning, I think. Whatever the consultants will be suggesting for the future use of the ex-Quarry will have a much higher probability of being actually built someday, as it's the Govt. doing it on their own land which is already zoned as "Indeterminate Use", it's not private, agricultural or zoned as ecologically sensitive.

And one of the 25 or so land reclamations that the Govt. is suggesting outside Victoria Harbour is located at the ex-Quarry coastline. The 1st round of consultations finished just a few weeks ago, without much opposition, it seems. So it might enter into the 2nd round of consultations, not being thrown out of the selection process yet, same as the reclamation idea for a 100+ ha "New North Lamma" reclamation island proposed by Govt. in the same consultation?

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The plot thickens...

Could this huge barge with what looks like drilling equipment be for this project starting this Monday, Jul 9?

"Planning and Engineering Study on Future Land Use at Ex-Lamma Quarry Area at Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island - Feasibility Study: Land-based and Marine Ground Investigation Works"

I just got a notice emailed by the Govt. consultants today, but it has no details, just that the works will last for two months and was commissioned by CEDD and Planning Dept. It includes this sample photo below.

This is the first visible step to study the formerly 'possible residential' to 'primarily residential' usage of this huge site, larger than YSW, zoned as "indeterminate use" for now. Up to a theoretic maximum of 50,000 residents in public and private housing are some of the ideas being brainstormed for the quite distant future, I've heard rumoured from insiders.

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Doesn't that area have 'historical status'??

And this time I don't just mean the indigenous villagers.

There is a huge rectangle white building not far from the Cement Works and I used to spend many a weekend there.

Apparently this 'building' was a school at the turn of the century, then used as a kind of barracks for the Japanese when they took over HK.

And of course it was apparently 'haunted', although I never got too see anything, just lots of snakes!

Also an 'aircraft hanger' type building, that was previously used for storing a helicopter.

Can't find any information on any of the above though. Although I'm sure the locals in SKW know it's history.
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Just checked Google Maps and saw from the satellite pictures that the buildings are still there. They seem to be abandoned now though.

it's been 12 years since I spent time there and now the place looks like it's being eaten up by the jungle. Trees seem to have taken over. It was a big open expanse and lawns before.

This could be the area that they want to develop? Would love to know if anyone else knows more about that area.

Tigger,

Maybe it's time for another visit!

That area is privately owned by the former Cement Factory owners, I think, and a nice, bilingual guard/groundskeeper lives in there now, gardening and keeping the place ready for when the big redevelopment starts. It's zoned as a Commercial Development Area, so they can apply to Govt. for all kinds of uses and new buildings in there. This is only the Cement Factory Area, below the Family Trail, not the massive, empty, restored area beyond in the Lamma Quarry that the Govt. is starting to study now what to use it for. It was all an open pit 15 years ago and then planted with trees, a sweetwater lake with an island created on it, and lots of drainage channels and a few small roads built in there.

The Cement Factory has become more active recently, lots of boats at their pier, cleaning up the area of old, rusted-through machinery that was lying all around before. There are lots of my photos inside the Quarry and the Cement Factory taken in the last few years on this website. Just search for "Lamma Quarry" at the top of any Lamma-zine page.

I used to go hiking and biking in the entire area, maybe it's time for another visit. You can still get in from the Luk Chau side or via the Family Trail pavilion (if you don't mind a few snakes that insiders told us about.)

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I wouldn't mind a trek down there again.... I have many fond memories of my weekends there, sleeping over and having a great BBQ. My friends (I think) were renting it from the Cement Factory and bought their water supply from them.

There (used to be) a very tiny well hidden path that took you down the hill to the back of the white building. I'm sure it's overgrown now. Or generally we would just get in the boat and go across from the pier. One night I actually climbed across the rocks around the coast in a little black dress and heels when the boat failed to start LOL. Now 'that' was an experience

I'm up for a hike over to that area if anyone else is interested. After seeing the satellite photo's I'm intrigued to just how much the trees have taken over.

There is also a creepy cave IMHO on that plot of land that apparently had hidden relics from the Japanese era. I was too scared to go in though.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/99483860
http://www.scribd.com/doc/99483835

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