Does anyone know what is happening in Yung Shue Wan Valley? Opposite the area that they have already trashed, they are now clearing space and putting 'poles' in the ground. Nice to see the disused toilet has been removed but it looks like the start of something major. Could it be sewage works? are there signs up telling the public what is going to happen?

You mean "Yung Shue Long", I think.
I've changed the subject to that.

If it was government works, there'd be notices up.
So it's not, and whoever it is won't tell you anything.

Post some photos if you can.

I noticed that as well. I chatted to my landlord and he said that the landlord of that YSL place is putting up a fence/barrier because unknown VV drivers have been dumping on that land. The landlord received complaints and has to clean up at his own expense. He did mention that houses/shops could be built there in a few years.

A piece of land owned by my landlord around my place in Tai Peng has also been fenced up even before I moved in. Apparently it's to deter VV drivers from dumping as well.

No mystery. For months well-known VV drivers were told by the landlord and his brother to dump construction waste there. It's the usual "destroy first, build later" strategy. The landlord intends to build a village house there.

Lands Dept. and EPD have been aware of the dumping for at least a year. I talked to them when they inspected the site. They claimed that they were powerless to stop it because it was "private land".

Then more and more people reported this case using the 1823 complaint number (run by the Efficiency Unit) and somebody got a slap on the wrist. My guess is that the landlord tried to shift the blame on "unknown VV drivers" and was told to fence his site to avoid further dumping.

Thanks for your replies, I hope that the fence deters the dumpers. it's a sad state of affairs when people have to resort to protecting there land because of this. Do they not have skips that rubble could be dumped in, then collected off the island. I'd really like to know what Yu Lai Fan has to say about this, what does she actually do for this community???

This isn't a remote area. VV drivers couldn't get away with dumping there without being seen. So they are doing it because the owner wants them to.

I would imagine that Yu Lai Fan thinks that this is all perfectly fine. Every project she's supported for the area has led to it being totally built over.
It'd be nice to get her on the record though.
Maybe Lamma-gung can ask her next time he has a chance to interview her.

I saw some new concrete on the edge of the area this morning. Has some steel bars sticking out of it so I assume there's going to be something more?

It would now appear that trees are being removed behind the location of the recently erected fence located at the bottom of the valley. Would this imply new buildings, anybody know

...and a pile of stones have been dumped on the piece of land opposite the old farmer's patch, where he used to plant the odd thing or two and had dug a well similar to the one in his shed below.

Looks like the Yung Shue Long Valley's beautiful days are numbered....and there's nothing anyone can do about it....

Plus, what are they building at the far end of Yung Shue Long Old Village?

The building-free, green view of it which I have enjoyed from across the valley at the YSL New VIllage side for the past 10 years, is now blotted with a high concrete wall. Plus, more trees are being felled by the day.

Any information on this, anyone?

Got any pics?

_________________
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.

The latest, very significant development is the laying of the first concrete slab as a building foundation in the valley near the nullah, just last Saturday 15/9. If you care about the valley perhaps now is the last chance to act before it is completely covered in concrete.

Unchecked, this kind of development seems to go on by whoever chooses to do it. No one seems to know who the individuals are. Obviously, individual owners have a right to develop their own land but they need authorization from government to do so. This usually also requires a formal change in use from agriculture to residential or whatever the correct terms are.

So far the lily pond and natural habitat for the Romer’s Tree Frog amongst other have been destroyed. The nullah from the sea is a disaster whichever way you look at it.

There is a need to act individually and en masse to alert and challenge the government about the imminent desecration of our natural and defenceless green valley, Lamma’s so called ‘green lung’. This means phoning 1823 or writing to tellme@1823, the HK Government contact point for complaints and enquiries. You must identify the Yung Shue Long Valley adjacent to Yung Shue Wan on Lamma Island.

1823 will automatically refer it to Lands. Specify it is not just Lands, but must include EPD and likely the Planning Department among other government departments. They will only respond in a timely manner if you say it is a complaint.

Historically over the past 3 years other enquiries have been stonewalled particularly by the Lands Department masterfully obfuscating the issue.

Now is the time to act, when voices need to be heard. Others have already registered their concerns, but when people speak in greater numbers, there is more impetus for government to actually listen and take the necessary action.

So if you are concerned, write to the HK Government at tellme@1823.gov.hk, stating it is a complaint. You will receive a case/ fine number in reply, together with an indication of where in government your case has been directed.

This reference number helps with follow-up in keeping the pressure on toward achieving a full and proper review and a timely resolution.

I just wrote them a mail.

When I complained about the waste dumping in 2009 (regarding the lily pond) I got this reply:



Bla bla bla

Also I remember the Lands Department wrote a notice last year that they will not tolerate this practice as much anymore (using agricultural land as dumping site and then changing the status to built on it)
Does anybody remember where to find it? The Gov websites are so messy.

Also just received a very prompt reply from the EPD ( I put them on cc on my complaint mail)

This might be the same mail others have received before. I'm just posting it as general info


1. District Lands Office (Islands) did not receive any applications for village house development at the concerned land lots.

2. Land has not been rezoned

Contacts

Laura Sze of DLO (Islands)
Mr. Gary Lui of Planning Department

I still need to find out their email addresses.

So here's the slab that has been poured, it's on the former Lily Pond site.

Not suitable for building a house, I suspect a storage shed, or maybe they'll park VVs and construction machinery on it.

Notice the sign on the fence adjacent, looks like a construction company.

Yeah, this land is on an "agricultural" lease. But the government considers pouring concrete all over it is just fine.

The building at the end of the path pictured in Alan's post above is still a mystery....it's a high wall the height of a building with a white railing around the top. I don't have a good lens on my camera so any photo I take from my flat won't be very clear. But it looks like one more unnecessary job for the boys, and one more blot in this beautiful valley's landscape.