Chi Fu Fa Yuen & Wah Fu Estate
TRACING URBAN DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG
Wah Fu Estate was constructed in the 1960s to satisfy the increasing demand for public housing. It is the first public housing estate that creates a self-contained community, including shops, schools, library, post office, wet markets and malls. Similar to Wah Fu Estate, Chi Fu Fa Yuen, a private housing estate, is a self-contained community with residential facilities too. Before its construction by the Hongkong Land in 1978, the site was originally designated for dairy farming. Both estates demonstrate the urban development of Hong Kong in the past few decades.
The 2014 Policy Address announced the proposal of redeveloping Wah Fu Estate. The current plan includes the relocation of residents to Chi Fu Valley. The redevelopment proposal was generally supported by residents, but it also attracted concerns over the loss of sense of community, the traffic congestion at Pokfulam with the influx of new residents as well as the heritage preservation of old dairy farming facilities at Chi Fu Valley.
Reminders:
-
It is a residential district; some areas are not open to public. Disturbances to residents should also be avoided.
-
Most spots are accessible for the physically disabled, except Waterfall Bay and the Deities Street.
-
For safety reasons, the trail leading to Waterfall Bay is blocked.
Click on the buttons on the map to access point of interests:
Issues
Pok Fu Lam Moratorium
In 1972, the Governor-in-Council approved an administrative Moratorium to handle traffic congestion between Pokfulam and the northwest of Hong Kong Island. Public land sale and restricting property (re)development at Pokfulam were deferred as a result. In the 2014 Policy Address, the government partially lifted the Moratorium at Pokfulam South. Six government sites were released for housing development. The government commissioned a feasibility study of Wah Fu Estate redevelopment in 2015. The construction of MTR South Island Line (West) is under consideration too.
An aerial view of Wah Fu Estate (1968).
The Redevelopment of Wah Fu Estate
An imagery of Chi Fu Valley after the proposed redevelopment of Wah Fu Estate.
Five government sites at Pokfulam South (near Chi Fu Road, Kai Lung Wan, Wah Fu North, Wah King Street, Wah Lok Path) are allocated for the redevelopment of Wah Fu Estate. The current redevelopment plan is divided into three phases, with the first phase to be finished in 2024 and the whole project completed by 2034. It is estimated that the redevelopment plan will supply 11,900 additional housing units. The Housing Department began to collect opinions from local residents and district councillors. Chu Ching Hong, the Chairperson of Southern District Council, sees the pressing need to improve living environment. Instead of redeveloping Chi Fu Road, Kai Lung Wan and Wah Fu North, he proposes to use the vacant land at Wong Chuk Hang for the reprovisioning of residents. Chai Man Hon, another district council member, proposed the adaptive reuse of a few old flat units for exhibition purpose, with local residents acting as tour guides, and also preservation of community history.
Chi Fu Valley (left) and Chi Fu Fa Yuen
Stakeholders’ Views
The residents and shop owners at Wah Fu Estate generally support the redevelopment plan, with some urging for in-situ reprovisioning and shortening the duration of the redevelopment project. However, Chi Fu Fa Yuen Residents' Association showed reservation. They worried that the project will worsen traffic congestion and destroy the greenbelt at Chi Fu Valley and Kellett Bay. Friends of the Earth and Heritage Watch also advocated converting Chi Fu Valley into an ecological-heritage park, to conserve the built heritage of dairy farming facilities, stone walls trees, vulnerable and endangered species (e.g., Short-legged Toad and Lesser Spiny Frog) there.
Lesser Spiny Frog