Hong Kong government loses appeal over Fanling golf course housing project

The government’s push to boost short-term public housing supply has suffered a setback after it lost an appeal against a court decision overturning conditional approval for building 12,000 flats on part of Hong Kong’s oldest golf course.

In a judgment delivered on Monday, the Court of Appeal found that official endorsement of the project’s environmental impact assessment report was marred by an unfair public consultation process, the imposition of improper conditions and a failure to meet wildlife conservation objectives.

The ruling is likely to result in fresh public consultations on developing 9.5 hectares (23.5 acres) of the 32 hectares that the government took back from the 172-hectare golf course in Fanling three years ago. The project was initially slated for completion in 2029.

The Environmental Protection Department said it would review the judgment to decide whether to appeal further, adding that an announcement would be made “at the appropriate time”.

The Hong Kong Golf Club welcomed the judgment, describing the course as a “precious living heritage” of the city that remained pivotal to the development of the sport.

“The club will continue to communicate with the government, in the hope of preserving the old course and generating the greatest value for Hong Kong by fully utilising all resources and facilities at the club, which is in line with government policies of promoting golf and sports tourism,” a club spokesman said.

The club, which manages the course on the remaining 140 hectares, won a judicial review in late 2024 to quash the director of environmental protection’s approval of the study conducted by the Civil Engineering and Development Department.