My Lamma Forums

[Lamma-Gung]

No need to go to the Lands Dept, just ask the people who are actually building the site! I did a bit of investigation recently, gathering some first-hand info and more contacts than listed on the sign above.

I've managed to get a close, long look at the large-size construction plans today and had a site engineer explain them to me patiently and in great detail, plus getting more info from his colleagues. Here's the gist, straight from the horse's mouth:

• It'll be 12 houses in total, none higher than 2 floors, basically the same as Village Houses, but luxurious ones. 10 of them 700 sqft/floor, 2 duplexes. Some will be free-standing, some in staggered rows.
  
• Construction deadline for the structure, walls, roofs: Feb 2006.
  Ready to move in: close to end of 2006.
  
• Nice, large, square outdoor swimming pool and a gym below it. A nice clubhouse, of course.
  
• No Chinese or English name for the development confirmed yet. Provisionally, it's called something like "Lamma Island #1".
  
• The biggest construction site on Lamma Island in a long time.
  
• The Tower Crane is the first one ever used on Lamma Island and is about 35 metres high and has a reach of 35 metres. It'll definitely stay there all year.
  
• The beach below the development will stay public and untouched, as will the huge Kapok tree.
  Many more trees, lawns and greenery will be planted around the houses. Each house will have a sizable lawn/garden.
  
• No marina or space for the boats inside the development, but the current pier will be extended in an L-shape in front of the beach and could have space for a small number of private boats of the residents.
  
• Path along the coast line from the ferry pier is "almost confirmed".
  I'll have another little talk with Lammadonna about this road. I assume it'll be upgraded to VV-ready (there are a lot of stairs in the current path through the typhoon shelter).
  Path construction starts sometime next year, to be ready together with the development at the end of 2006.
  The current path from Po Wah Yuen to Pak Kok will not be affected.
  
• Last but not least: a new ferry service to the Cyberport from the development's own pier!

This is just the engineers' info, no sales & marketing info yet, like sale or rental prices, development's name or any other marketing info. I've got the contact person's name in the developer's office (not K.S.So) and will talk to him as well very soon.

Any engineering questions I might be able to answer in the meantime, as we talked about a number of issues...

[Alan]

[Lamma-Gung]

Tower Cranes: HEC used something much much bigger than a tower crane for their chimneys which are so much hgher.

Yes, these are good questions to ask about the new coastal path to this development. The engineers know very little about it, as it's not their project and it's not even approved yet. But from studying the construction plans, the path will go around the outside of the new development, so it's probably not private and will be usable by anybody on foot, bike or VV.

I'll see what I can find out from Lammadonna. It will be a lot tougher than the talkative & friendly engineers. I'll need my Chinese interpreter who's not a patient person... Lammadonna got an internet-savvy intern now who shows her this website occasionally, whenever there's something of interest to her, like my recent dragonboat photos ("Very nice!).

I doubt very much that the ferry service would be private. Just for 12 houses, how could they be commercially viable? Yes, it would be a welcome shortcut to Queen Mary Hospital for sure. As it connects to the Cyberport directly, we might get a few rich geeks working there moving to Lamma? A direct ferry from your home to the office and back, what could be more convenient! I used to have that when working in Hung Hom's Harbourfront and living in North Point. Last ferry back at 7:30pm, great excuse to leave the office "early"...

Well, I named the development already, Lammarina, but it might not be the best name for it. There's an artist's impression of the development - only in the developers office. It would be so nice to get a high-res photo of it...
I'll see what I can find out when talking to the developer's office directly. They might not want to talk to any outsiders at all yet as they're still far from being ready to sell or let...

[Alan]

[soundbydesign2]

sounds like f@%$^'n Paradise

[Foxy]

A tower crane was used to build the third power stantion chimney about 10 years ago.

And a security bunker has already been built by the gate, presumably to keep out undesirables (ie Lamma residents)

[Alan]

After reminding myself of the geography, I see that a new path probably wouldn't go via the new lookout. But also, I fail to see the great need for it. Making a stairless VV path would be much bigger undertaking than just extending the path from the other side of the typhoon shelter. With their own pier and ferry, the Tanners will hardly need VV deliveries, which in any case can already get there roundabout via Tai Peng.

Odd how the couple of hundred residents of Hippie Valley, Pak Kok, DickStock, etc didn't rate such a path, but a dozen expensive houses go up and it's all go. Sort of like how all the facilities appeared at the Central Pier after Disco Bay moved their pier there.

But if it is built, it had better be open to all, and not have some officious watchmen trying to block it off from the hoi polloi.

[Lam Ma Ma]

They better give out prizes for the naming contest!!!!!!

[Granola Eater]

[Samson]

Lammarina has been causing a stir in the Chinese forum too! There are currently two unanswered questions there...

[Ed Banger]

[Samson]

[Ed Banger]

[Foxy]

Samson wrote:
I also heard that the flat next to the site was sold to a gwailo (Neil, Nathan...?) unknowing that they would erect a great big fence and a crane in front of him and that it was sold to him by none other than the developer himself!

What flat's that then? Only flats here are mine and Dickstock's.

The tall crane is for moving materials (mostlt concrete and rebar) around the site now that the foundtions are going in (finally).

[Ed Banger]

Hey Foxy, it were me what wrote that and i am going on what someone told me....I'm not familiar with the area so amn't too sure which one is in question.

[Lamma-Gung]

A few more news about this luxury development, provisionally dubbed Lammarina till the developpers come up with their own name:

Finally quizzing Lammadonna today about this, I noticed that she seems to know less about it than I've found out already. She has never seen the plans yet (it's private!) and ended up asking ME questions about some details of the development. But I found out more about:

Ferry service to Cyberport:
She says "No way!" HKKF wouldn't have it and this seems to be more of a pipe dream by the developer for now, sounding good for marketing. But it's a long time till end of next year when the developments will be ready for occupation. And if they build the coastal road to the ferry pier, they might not need the private ferry service at all.

The coastal road:
Leading from the ferry pier to the development, through the typhoon shelter is obviously far from approval, more of a "suggestion" at this stage, a wish by the developer. Not even a detailed plan is available yet, but this "foot path" would be usable by Village Vehicles and paid for by the government.

And I got the direct contact of the boss of the developer, located in Causeway Bay, obvioulsy an old & good friend of Lammadonna. With her as a reference, I'll try talking to him, maybe even visit his office, I hope. The flats will obvioulsy be so expensive that even Lammadonna might not to be able to afford them, she says.

Investigations like these are great fun and I'm slowly getting the hang of navigating the local network of personal relationships that make doing business on this island so personal & secretive, well-hidden to outsiders, especially non-Chinese speakers...

OK, preparing a few more questions for Dim Sum tomorrow, Sunday morning...

[Samson]

[Alan]

[Lamma-Gung]

Alan, you're probably right on this. This development is definitely targeting multi-millionaires only and might be for sale only. The only one on Lamma with a swimming pool, gym, clubhouse and probably security as well. And it'll have a ferry pier with room for a number of boats...

Samson, re: the better ferry services, it seems that Lammadonna & co. have applied for later ferry services to the Transport Dept., something like a daily 2am service. No reply yet...

[Samson]