Historic Lantau Yik Garden Site Seeks Approval for Two-Storey Villa Reconstruction
On.cc · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
A historic pre-World War II bungalow in Mui Wo, Lantau, is set for redevelopment into a two-storey villa after its owner filed an application with the Town Planning Board to relax height restrictions. The site at DD Lot 1280 covers roughly 67,018 square feet and the proposed development would feature a gross floor area of 13,404 square feet with a single residential unit, including a swimming pool and garden amenities. The applicant seeks to increase the permitted building height from 6 metres to 6.1 metres—a marginal 1.67 percent adjustment—to accommodate both statutory planning requirements and lease conditions mandating a minimum ceiling height of 3.05 metres per floor. The expected completion date is August 2028, and the proposal has reportedly attracted no formal objections regarding statutory planning matters.
Key Points
- The redevelopment site sits at DD Lot 1280, Pak Ngan Heung, Mui Wo, Lantau, designated for Residential (Category D), Green Belt, and Agricultural uses
- The proposed two-storey villa would have a total floor area of 13,404 square feet with a plot ratio not exceeding 0.2 times and a site coverage of 10.49 percent
- Building height is proposed to increase from 6 metres to 6.1 metres (32.1 metres above Principal Datum) to satisfy both planning and lease requirements
- The property, known as Yik Garden, was constructed before WWII by a prominent local Chinese rice merchant family and features Western-style architecture with gardens, a swimming pool, and fountains
- The development will include approximately 27,686 square feet of landscaped recreational area alongside a swimming pool and garden
- Market sources suggest the property may have changed hands in recent years, with an expected completion date of August 2028
Why It Matters
This application represents a significant test case for balancing heritage preservation with redevelopment pressure in Hong Kong's rural areas, as the Planning Board evaluates whether minor height relaxations can accommodate modern construction standards while respecting the character of pre-war estates. The outcome could set a precedent for similar heritage properties seeking to modernise under current planning frameworks without compromising their historic integrity .
This application represents a significant test case for balancing heritage preservation with redevelopment pressure in Hong Kong's rural areas, as the Planning Board evaluates whether minor height relaxations can accommodate modern construction standards while respecting the character of pre-war estates. The outcome could set a precedent for similar heritage properties seeking to modernise under current planning frameworks without compromising their historic integrity .