Legislator demands Alto de Coloane environment report to be made public

Legislator Si Ka Lon submitted a written enquiry regarding Alto de Coloane, a one-hundred-meter high-rise residential project. He asked the government why the project has been submitted for review by the Urban Planning Committee, even though the public has expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the development.
The legislator suggested in the enquiry that the project should be passed to the Urban Planning Committee to reconsider and listen to more opinions regarding the protection of the public interest. He also asked whether the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSPOT) can coordinate with the project developer to disclose the full environmental impact evaluation report and opinions from the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) on the impact of this project, so that the public can review it.
Li Canfeng, the director of DSSPOT replied to the legislator’s enquiry, saying that since the Urban Planning Law took effect, the Bureau has not received any applications for an alignment plan for the project from the developer. Mr. Li said that in accordance with the procedural requirements, an application for the alignment plan must be submitted to DSSPOT first in order to start the process. Otherwise, the government will not pass the project to the Urban Planning Committee for consideration, Mr. Li explained.
Mr. Li also stated that if DSPA finds that the environmental impact evaluation report does not comply with the relevant technical requirements of the developer, the developer will be required to make changes and improvements based on the report.