Submitted by Executive Counsel:

The Baroque on Lamma Stakeholder Engagement Forum

Executive Counsel Limited has recently been engaged by The Baroque on Lamma (BoL) to openly hear the concerns of local and wider interest and green groups on their planning proposals through a public forum.

We understand the generous feedback previously shared by all groups to date and only intend to briefly provide new information and updates. More importantly, we wish to provide a public opportunity for all parties to speak and share their concerns and opinions on the proposals and the newly submitted information.

For your information, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Study Brief was issued by the Environmental Protection Department on 27 July 2011 and it is currently available online: http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/english/alpha/aspd_629.html. Today (8 September 2011), BoL will also submit additional information to the Town Planning Board (TPB) to respond to questions and concerns raised to this Board to date, and we will briefly share details of both at the forum.

Additional information submitted to TPB:

• Supplementary planning information
• Conceptual Ideas on Conservation Corridor
• Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Report

Thus, we have recommended to BoL that we arrange and will facilitate a bilingual event with simultaneous interpretation. We have recommended that the three-hour workshop should comprise only around 30 minutes of their planning and environmental consultant's new information/update and, thereafter, will make the floor open for around two hours to all views. BoL will be present simply to listen to views at first hand but will not participate in presentations, which will be conducted by their consultants.

Importantly, we wish all available parties to attend and participate in the forum, irrespective of the views they hold. Please also note that participation in the event does not indicate any support for the proposals or project whatsoever.

Finally, Executive Counsel Limited will also prepare forum minutes for agreement by participants to ensure a record of all concerns and views.

Details of the forum are as follow:

Date: 8 October 2011, Saturday
Time: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Venue: St. James Settlement
No. 85 Stone Nullah Lane, Wanchai, Hong Kong (map attached together with Registration Form in Eng. and Chin..)

To participate the workshop, please fill in the Registration Form attached and reply by email: ec1@execounsel.com or by fax: 2868 0805 on or before 5 October 2011 (Wednesday).

Should you have any enquires about the workshop, please contact the undersigned. Also, please feel free to forward this invite to any other parties that may be interested in participating in this forum.

Yours sincerely,

Mavis Ma
Executive Counsel Limited<HR>

敬啟者：

南丫島博寮港計劃公眾諮詢會

博寮港有限公司日前聘請毅信顧問公司籌劃公眾諮詢會，以聆聽及了解社會各界對南丫島博寮港計劃的關注。我們非常感謝各界人士近日對本計劃提供的寶貴意見，是次諮詢會將提供新資訊讓公眾更深入了解對有關計劃 。

環境保護署已於2011年7月27日批出南丫島博寮港計劃環境影響評估之研究概要，其內容已上載於 http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/english/alpha/aspd_629.html 供公眾查閱。而博寮港有限公司亦於今天2011年9月8日提交附加資料予城市規劃委員會 （城規會）以回應城規會對此計劃的關注和提問，有關內容將會於諮詢會中作簡單闡述。

已提交城規會的附加資料包括：
• 規劃補充資料
• 保育走廊概念
• 社會影響評估報告

諮詢會將以雙語形式舉行，並提供中英即時傳譯。另外，諮詢會當日將由南丫島博寮港計劃之環境及規劃顧問以約30分鐘介紹計劃的最新資訊，及提供約2小時予參與者發表意見。南丫島博寮港有限公司之代表屆時將出席諮詢會聆聽各方意見，但各項新資訊將由其顧問公司作闡述。

我們希望閣下能撥冗出席諮詢會聆聽及發表意見，而參與是次諮詢會並不反映參與者之立場為支持上述計劃。

毅信顧問公司將會紀錄各界人士於會上發表的關注及意見並於稍後整理諮詢會會議紀錄。

南丫島博寮港計劃公眾諮詢會詳情：
日期： 2011年10月8日（星期六）
時間： 下午 2 時至 5 時
地點： 聖雅各福群會
香港灣仔石水渠街85號 （地圖隨登記表格附上）

如閣下有意參加南丫島博寮港計劃公眾諮詢會，請填妥隨信附上的登記表格，並於2011年10月5日或之前電郵至 ec1@execounsel.com 或傳真至2868 0805。如對諮詢會有任何查詢，請與本人聯絡。與此同時歡迎閣下轉寄此邀請信予其他對本諮詢會有興趣之人士。

毅信顧問公司
馬靜琳 啟

2011年9月8 日<HR><HR>
For some background, have a look at this very informative summary by Damon Wong of the 1,107 submissions (93% objections) received by the Town Planning Dept. on the Baroque application:

http://www.interlocals.net/?q=node%2F377

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

I find it hilarous that the Mr Chow that is quoted about the greedy devolopers ruining their land for profit is no doubt the same Mr Chow that continues to build as many houses as possible in Tai Yuen with no regard for the environment and also refuses to allow the goverment to do the necessary works to fix the flooding outside Yan Yan's!!!

Surely if he has submitted an objection the government department that claims they cannot contact him regarding the flooding will have access to his address!!!

Please do not enter any dialogue or attend meetings with 'Executive Counsel' if you object to the Baroque. This would just appear to condone in.

What is needed is some protests outside the meeting with placards objecting to the project.

These people have no franchise to conduct any public meetings on this, as if they actually owned the land and had approval to go ahead!!

At the moment all they have is a bunch of agricultural leases that its illegal to transfer or sell.

I cannot help as I am in Japan.

Who can will do this???

Don't forget to send in your comments until the 14th!

So how can they apply for Planning Permission of the Baroque without proper Ownership of the Land?

I actually like this development on Lamma Island,it will improve the Standards of living not only for humans….

Has anybody been at there Workshop on Saturday 8th?

Deadline tomorrow, Friday, Oct 14, for your submission (or re-submission) to Town Planning Board about the rezoning of land in Tung O Wan:

http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb/en/plan_application/Y_I-LI_1.html

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Send your Baroque objection to tpbpd@pland.gov.hk


Info here from Martin Williams of hkoutdoors.com and Living Seas:

The Baroque on Lamma development, hasn't died. The developer has made yet another submission to the Town Planning Board, we really need to stop this one before it is too late. A quick summary:

1. Huge property and marina development on the South Side of Lamma, right next to the last remaining green turtle nesting beach in HK and encompassing important terrestrial ecosystems, that support indigenous species such as Romers Tree Frog.

2. The developer is applying for rezone from "Agriculture", "Conservation Area", "Coastal Protection Area" zones to "Comprehensive Development Area"

3. The developer has amended their plans, to incorporate certain mitigation approaches, however it is just green washing, this is not a suitable site..

4. 14th October is a deadline for sending in responses and comments to the Town planning board. I invite you all to submit comments and to show your objections to the plan. Our email, which we sent to the following email address "tpbpd@pland.gov.hk", can be found at the end of this note.

Please feel free to use this, please do edit it, as I have noticed a couple of TYPOS..!

You can find out more on the application at the following website http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb/en/plan_appl ... -LI_1.html

Your help on this is much appreciated.

Regards
Dod
Chairman
Living Seas Hong Kong

"On behalf of Living Seas HK, we are writing to object to the development on Lamma as proposed by the project proponent on the basis of insufficient evidence that coral communities will not be affected and also that the construction and ongoing increase in boat traffic in the areas will cause willful disturbance to the marine turtle nesting beach at Shum Wan.

In Hong Kong established coral communities of any size are regarded as important habitat types in Hong Kong as defined in Annex 8 of EIAO-TM.

There is evidence to suggest that coral communities exist in Tung O wan and along the Ngai Tau Headland and that neither the EIA or any recent memorandums show the extent of coral loss, mitigation or any attempts to translocate corals in order to protect these species.

The beach at Sham Wan, Lamma is the last remaining nesting beach for the endangered and protected green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Hong Kong waters. This species and the Sham Wan nesting beach is protected under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Chapter 170) Under the ordinance it is illegal to willfully ?disturb a nest or egg of any protected wild animal?. The construction process, increased lights and increased boat
traffic will willfully disturb these protected animals from nesting.

On these grounds Living Seas HK object to the development named as Baroque."

Email I've sent:


I write to again object to the plans for the Baroque on Lamma.

The area of and near the proposed project is of considerable conservation, scenic and leisure value, and should be protected overall (not just SSSI here, and some slight protection there).
It is quite wrong for a project like this, which is aimed squarely at benefitting developers, not at all for the good of Hong Kong.

Marine life will suffer, including coral communities and nesting turtles.
Hong Kong people will suffer yet more destruction of their home, removing a place that can benefit the majority of people both now and long into the future.

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

Dear Marc Antony,
I do have a different view point, that’s why I am for the project of the Baroque on Lamma and I also emaild to the same gov.addresse as above shown.

Marin life is suffering enormously already, only take a trip to Macao and half way there you can see the dirty waters from the mainstreams of the Pearl River Delta encroaching Macao some other Islands and coming nearer to Lamma .

That’s why the turtles are not coming back to Lamma .Not only the Marine Live is threatened from this dirty water , all our life is too.

The Baroque on Lamma will attract people from the Mainland and the project with its organic research centre and plant nursery will have its repercussion in the visitors homes and province,it will help to reintroduce plants trees and shrubs forgotten since the opium war and its devastating effect on farms also on Lamma till now.

Lamma could produce a great portion of Hong Kongs supply of vegetable and protein cheaply, that will count after oil prices start climbing, the population on earth will be 7 billion people this month and food prices will further explode soon.
Get Goats and Sheep back to the Islands Mountain tops for healthy organic protein! Make Lamma a showcase for China and enhance a healthier future, there is no time left, start now!!!!!

.The planned education centre at Baroquet will teach why people left everything behind for opium. The new young students don’t even know there were Fig trees on the Island or Citrus trees actually started there existence here in this area thousands of years ago.
Now I don’t see nor find only one good tasting Orange tree on Lamma.There are Chinese Olive Trees in existance and there are Coffee Bushes since 2000 years in the South China See, were are they on Lamma to make the Children of southern China proud of there heritage. Its all destroyed by greed to make the quick bucks and nobody tells the Children of China that there Country only 200 Years ago was the greatest country one could find on this planet, with a GDP as high as that of the rest of the world combined.

Greed must not prevail,coming this time in the coat of environmentalists who think they know everything better.
Therefore Lamma Islanders should be happy and welcoming the ideas of the Baroque.It will be a milestone for environmental protection reintroducing farming, plants and animals, bringing farming work back as well as mor maintenance and service with its 900 planed and secluded properties ,a outstanding showcase desperately needed for the future of the South China See as well as helping to back up planners on the Mainland for a greener and cleaner development in the surrounding area and China . After a while with cleaner water in the see you will find marine and human life striving, the green Turtles will come back and in addition you will have excellent locally produced food and perhaps know by then how great the benefit is the Baroque project is bringing to all life on Lamma Island.

Do you seriously believe any of that bollocks?

Baroque is simply an expensive residential real estate development. Nothing more. The Tannery flats but bigger and even more of a failure if they ever went ahead. It's just a scam to sucker mainland investors (as no one in HK would be dumb enough to buy in)

All the rest is pure greenwash and will never be funded or built.
They're not going to host the America's cup yacht race and they're not going to "reintroduce farming and plants and animals". They're going to cover it in concrete.

Actually, as at least some of the land is already zoned for agriculture they could do all that now without any problem. It's 900 flats that they want to build, not model farms.

Ha ha - and pigs might fly. Ewald, have you lifted this from the Baroque's publicity material?

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

no point in talking to this person, so I've removed my comment.

The only two times I have been cheated in property deals was in Germany and by the property developing company of the Queen of England regarding my premises on Kensington High Street.
With the law in Germany I had no chance, in London we took the case to the High Court incuring great expenses for paying a Barrister and myself taking two years out of my job to prepare the case.
As of my 8 Years in China I have only met the most honorable people, in private and in business . Although my experience is very limited only to the province of Shandong and Shanghai.
Why can't the promises the developer of the Baroqu is giving,not been drafted into the deeds of a building permission?

perhaps you have been called a troll too many times before and disquallifyed because your lacking arguments? who knows?

In this Economist Chart on 7th July 2011,the Hong Kong Hous Prices are 63.7% overvalueded
and HK is leading the World in overcharging for Housing

http://www.economist.com/node/18925999

The Mainland is best balanced of all Emerging Market Economies as the Chart shows and that’s not coming out of nowher,it’s the Chinese Politition and there planers who do this excellent job for the people of China and HK should open its eyes and respect that! Therefore I would be more than happy to welcome the expertise coming from the Mainland in this respect. As not to loose out to the Mainland completely, Hong Kong still has something, with its clean drinkable water and environmental expertise and a well educated population, an offer from HK and it should go for it and back the Baroque developers rightout. This chance will not come many times back to Lamma. After the US are out of Chinese waters,the sooner the better and peace will be back to all of Asia, Taiwan and Fujian have plenty of Islands to offer to planners and property developers.
Needless to point out the housing stock in HK and how bad it is against the new quality buildings on the Mainland....

ewald, you are either delusional or working for The Baroque.

How could thousands of residents (if we believe that somebody will buy those flats) and hundreds of yachts improve marine life and make Tung O greener???

If the Baroque proponents really cared for the environment they would buy brown land and turn it into a green oasis, they would have my support.

Cutting down trees, excavating the hills to build apartments and all the infrastructure needed, dredging the seabed, and introducing cars and carparks to a car-free island is definitely not an "environmental" project. Just another real estate speculation, where farm land is bought cheaply and its value increased by changing its zoning.

Thanks foreign body, my sentiments exactly.

Never try to teach a pig to sing. It is a waste of your time, and it annoys the pig.
and that's what I'm thinking right now.

Ewald, you are of course entitled to your own opinion, but I'm a tad concerned that you are a bit delusional.

Do you really believe that the Baroque on South Lamma, will do all the great things for the environment that they say they will? Do you honestly believe all that? Take a look around you. The environment and quality of living are declining, and the Baroque is all about greed and concrete, so it's hardly going to help everyone.

Nature, goats, chickens, etc.. will be no part of this. Although they may plant fig trees, who knows.

I found it quite worrying reading your post. You seem to be 'out of touch' as to what Lamma residents need or want.

Ewald, those demons at Baroque must have fed you some good stuff. If you see that man again,

Beware! Beware!
His flashing eyes, his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread,
For he on honey-dew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of Paradise.

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

go to inspect Sardinia, there you see how much benefit the new development brought- there you can also see at the other half of Sardinia who rejected the idea how poor the still are


if they are out to make quick money they would not invest in HK at the top of the boom with prices according to my chart posted to Marc 63% higher and over the to-the whole world knows that.

there are perhaps one ore two trees I have overseen, perhaps shrubs, regarding to the plan they are going to reintroduce trees ...

There are no roads on Lamma,so that is a point perhaps to have a discussion, perhaps they only using duplicated plans with car parks drawn already, but that’s a point!
The rest you’re quoting does not hold up!

Thanks,my own opinion would be respected on the Mailand,but here I have to be happy not to be called a troll by a spoiled child


All they promisse can be put in a deed connected to the permission to build,there I don’t think is a problem and also if they would want to make a qiuck profit,they would not buy the land and aply for building permission when the market is at its top.All speculators think that HK property market is going to burst soon…

You got that wrong,they are going to reintroduce plants and trees belonging to the rich heritage of this land. Fig trees are already here,only not many people know that…


I find it worrying when I read the responds to my post, most of foreign Lamma residents only come to Lamma daily by Ferry to sleep and go to HK next morning to work, they are therefore the bigest polluters and covering up as environmentalists not knowing what the Indigineos Lamma people really need.
Perhaps work creation with a Building Site first and after this Hotels, Restaurants and a Marina, also servicing the Flats and the Complex etc. would bring money into there accounts.Perhaps its greed of this foreign residents, they don’t want the Lammites to be better of with good jobs and better housing, they need poor people around that makes them feel better .