Impact of Contaminated Land Adjoining the New Disney Theme Park in Hong Kong

Abstract

As a measure to boost the economy, the Hong Kong Special Administration Region government (HKSAR government) reached an agreement in November 1999 with Walt Disney to build a 126-hectare theme park on Lantau Island in the former British Colony. In connection with the construction of roads and other infrastructure for the future park, a shipyard was compulsorily acquired by the government. It was later found that the demolition of the shipyard would involve the removal of around 87,000 cubic metres of dioxin laden contaminated soil.The presence of the highly toxic soil required extra finance for the remediation. It not only caused a budget blowout but also an embarrassment to the HKSAR government. This paper finds that the problems were mainly caused by the fragmented nature of the current contaminated land management approach adopted by the government and the lack of adequate power for the acquiring authority to enter the land for site investigation prior to the land acquisition. Unless appropriate changes are made to the current land contamination management and land acquisition practice, similar land contamination incidents may occur in the future and may have a long-term impact on the Hong Kong property market.