There's a rumour going around from a usually reliable, "insider" source that the YMCA has applied to occupy the entire Lamma Quarry for their activities.
It seems that the govt. recently invited charities to submit applications for the Quarry and they were the quickest one to apply.

No info available yet on timing, application status, what they're actually planning to use it for and if it would get closed off to the public at large if the YMCA would be successful.

Does anybody know more about this?
Where to get more info, which govt. dept. would handle this? Lands?

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From a recent speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, on Aug 13 (my highlights):

"Planning studies are also underway on the Anderson Road, Lam Tei and Lamma Island quarry sites as well as sites in the New Development Areas, including land near the boundary area in the New Territories to see if they can provide more land for residential use."

The YMCA has not responded to my enquiries about them just receiving exclusive use of the entire Lamma Quarry area. See Lamma-zine story for details:
http://www.compunicate.com/Lamma-zine/includes_news.html#Jul22

Looks like the govt. might have some other plans for this huge, mostly flat area in a few years, maybe changing the current land use from "undetermined" to "residential"....

Another Disco Bay just opposite Sok Kwu Wan, perhaps?

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A Lamma-zine reader asked me for an update on the Lamma Quarry. Another Lamma-zine story with the details is in progress, including another group eco-hike we did into this beautiful area recently.

The latest I've heard is that the YMCA has been granted exclusive use of the entire huge area for a "YMCA Wonderland" with lots of outdoor activities. See this document which took a diligent and very persistent Living Lamma founding member half a year of chasing the govt. to obtain. The YMCA ignored or rejected all enquiries from various parties, including myself:

YMCA Wonderland proposal

The proposal basically means exclusive use by the YMCA- no more hikers, bird watchers, dog walkers and mountain bikers welcome - except one tiny, small corner at the far end of the Quarry, far away from the lake, which will be open to the public from 6-9am only; yes, 9AM!

But this is only a temporary arrangement for a few years and nothing permanent can be built by the YMCA in the Quarry, just easily removable structures.

The govt. is starting this year to study the suitability of the entire Quarry area for public housing estates, just announced by our CE, Donald Tsang, in his policy speech a few months back and confirmed in a LegCo meeting very recently. It’s a 30-month study and then they’ll decide if they’ll build public housing there, changing Lamma forever….

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Just wandering what that would mean for Yung Shu Wan, an additional few thousand visiting from the estate at weekends/.

May be surrender

The Lamma Quarry saga is continuing and heating up now, discussion in the next regular Islands District Council meeting 2 days ago, announcing the study, starting this year for 18 months, of the Lamma Quarry in Sok Kwu Wan for suitability of building public housing there, see this detailed paper:

Paper No. 32/2011 - Planning and Engineering Study for Future Land Use of Ex-Lamma Quarry Area at Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island

Any opinions?

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Take a look at page 9 of today's HK Standard ....
EIA Study to be undertaken on developing the Ex-Lamma Quarry Area
Check out the EIA Ordinance website http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia
There goes the neighbourhood.

Thanks for the heads-up!
The 14 days for public comments start TODAY, June 15-29.

Here's a direct link to the pdf of the Project Profile of this Feasibility Study:
http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/profile/latest/esb232/esb232.pdf

I joined a meeting in the Govt.'s North Point offices about this study recently, incl. Living Lamma, Conservancy Association, Designing HK, a Lamma mountainbiker, but I haven't written it up yet. The last CE address mentioned it and LegCo debated it a few weeks ago.

Basically, they want to study the ex-Quarry for 30 months, starting later this year, if it's suitable to build any housing there, public housing or otherwise. After the study, . In the meantime, the YMCA will start using the entire Quarry temporarily for a few years, supposedly exclusively for their outdoor activities and it'll be theoretically - impossible to enforce, I think - closed to anybody else, except a tiny little area in the east side for a few hours in the early morning.

Anyway, Lammaites and the rare off-Lamma visitor will continue to use the area for dogwalking, birdwatching, hiking, lake swimming, mountainbiking and the occasional war games.

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Govt press release, Dec 7, 2012:

Stage 1 Community Engagement launched for Planning and Engineering Study on Future Land Use at Ex-Lamma Quarry Area

The Planning Department (PlanD) and the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) today (Dec 7) launched the Stage 1 Community Engagement for the Planning and Engineering Study on Future Land Use at the Ex-Lamma Quarry Area.

The Study was commenced early this year mainly to examine the future land use and explore the development potential of the Ex-Lamma Quarry site, including residential development and other compatible uses.

"Our vision is to reshape the Ex-Lamma Quarry into a green and sustainable waterfront community that meets the land use needs while complementing the local characters," a spokesman for PlanD said.

The Ex-Lamma Quarry site is located on the northern coast of Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island. After cessation of quarrying operation, the rehabilitation programme was commenced in 1995 and completed in 2002. The Ex-Lamma Quarry site comprises 20 hectares of platform area, 1 km of coastline and a man-made lake.

There is a two-stage community engagement programme for this Study. The two-month Stage 1 Community Engagement aims to seek views from the public on the initial land use options at the Study Site. The views collected will provide essential inputs to the formulation of the preferred option at the next stage of the Study. Detailed technical assessment will be conducted at the subsequent stage of the Study to ascertain the feasibility of the preferred land use option.

PlanD and CEDD will brief and consult Islands District Council and Southern District Council, Lamma Island (North) & (South) Rural Committees, the Town Planning Board and the Legislative Council. Roving exhibitions will be staged at different locations during the community engagement period. A community workshop will be organized at Sok Kwu Wan, together with a community forum and a public forum held in Yung Shue Wan and the City Gallery, Central in January 2013.

The “Planning and Engineering Study on Future Land Use at Ex-Lamma Quarry Area at Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island” website (http://www.ex-lammaquarry.hk), is officially launched. Relevant details of the Study will soon be uploaded to the Study’s website. Members of the public are invited to express their views through the following channels on or before Feb 6, 2013:

Planning Department – Special Duties Section e-mail: sdpd@pland.gov.hk Fax: 2577 3075 Post: 16/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong

Civil Engineering and Development Department – Hong Kong Island and Islands Development Office e-mail: lamma@cedd.gov.hk Fax: 2577 5040 Post: 13/F, North Point Government Offices,333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong

Ends<HR>
There's a brand-new website with the detailed, illustrated study and the two proposals: Seaside Living and Seaside Paradise:
http://www.ex-lammaquarry.hk/new.html

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First reactions to the plans are coming in....

See Living Lamma newsletter, scroll down to "The Quarry - The Baroque Mark II"
http://app.streamsend.com/private/Xoij/Qb4/CvDFqax/browse/17579803

and their blog, commenting on the press release above:
http://www.livinglamma.com/home/news/southlammaquarryconsultationbegins

plus their objection to the EIA from June 2011:
http://www.compunicate.com/Lamma/Blog/Lamma-Quarry/2011JUN27QuarryEIAProfileObjection.pdf

Currently, the Lamma Quarry is a fenced off, no-access, exclusive playground for the YMCA. Some temporary structures for outdoor activities have already been constructed: YMCA Wonderland:



Please post your own opinions and comments here.
It would be great to hear from actual SUPPORTERS of these plans as well!
Anybody from South Lamma willing to post their views? Your anonymity is guaranteed in this forum!

I hope to see many people attending the public consultations. Details will be announced in the Lamma Events Calendar, as always, of course.

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Eco-zine blog story by ex-Lammaite Dr Andy Cornish, Conservation Director of the WWF, supporting the recent idea of a "Lamma Eden", inspired by the famous Eden Project in the UK:

A sustainable living park for the Lamma Quarry
Public consultation kicks off

Plus a SCMP story, Dec 8:

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There are ecologically sensitive areas for humans on North Lamma.

Ex-Lamma Quarry development study - Community Engagement details

The "Roving Exhibition" is currently ONLY displayed in the Sok Kwu Wan ferry pier. Schedules for more exhibitions in Central (Jan 7), Aberdeen (Dec 27), and YSW (Dec 17), see below. Public workshop and forums in Jan.

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Roving exhibition, showing for only about 1 week at each ferry pier exclusively, currently only at So Kwu Wan ferry pier:





Click below to enlarge panels:

Cover, map - The Existing Lamma
Study Overview - Planning Considerations
Vision & Guiding Principles - Initial Land Use Options
Initial Option 1 - 2
Accessibility and Connectivity - Community Engagement Programme

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The "Roving Exhibition" has moved into the YSW ferry pier yesterday, Monday 17, and will be here till Dec 26, when it'll move off-island permanently, never to be shown locally again. It's also NOT shown on their website yet - probably later, they emailed me - but hopefully well BEFORE the several public engagements next month, on and off-Lamma?

If you'd like to have a closer and more leisurely read than standing in the wind-swept ferry departure hall, browse my high-res photos of the ten exhibition panels above. You can zoom in to read even the fine print.

Or you could browse the more detailed "Planning & Engineering Study" summary of 28 pages:
http://www.ex-lammaquarry.hk/download/stage1.pdf

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