Some angry New Territory land owners who have immigrated to Europe intend to file complaints to Chinese embassies in their host countries against the SAR government's plan to freeze development of their lands, said Heung Yee Kuk Vice-Chairman Cheung Hok-ming on Wednesday.

The rural body wants to enter the discussion over the escalating dispute at a meeting with the Development Bureau on Thursday.

It also plans to go to Europe to seek legal advice to decide further action, Cheung told RTHK.

The government wants to bring 54 pieces of private lands within the borders of country parks or near to the borders under government regulatory control.

The decision emerges from the battle to protect Tai Long Sai Wan in Sai Kung East Country Park in 2010.

A private property development in the park that damaged the landscape came under media scrutiny, triggering fears that as many as 54 similar sites that were not under regulatory control were also susceptible to uncontrolled development.

The government in August 2010 froze construction by placing the private land under the Development Permission Area Plan.

It was designated for "unspecified use" for three years, pending an outline zoning plan to establish the land use.

But the government, while it was trying to move toward all 54 parcels, met strong opposition from Heung Yee Kuk. It consulted the body in June.

The rural body stated that it was unfair to New Territories people and a violation of their rights.

The two sides are "still in a seesaw battle", Daniel Lam Wai-keung, vice-chairman of the body, told China Daily.

He said what the government is trying to do will harm these landowners' legal rights.

Heung Yee Kuk wants the government to "sit down" and "take a long-term perspective" to discuss the issue with them, such as whether to solve the problem through exchange of land or compensation, Lam said.

The body has not reached an agreement on any action yet, he added.

A spokeswoman for the Planning Department told China Daily that there can be no legal dispute as the department is just following the rural planning procedures.

It's normal to encounter such resistance, she said.

The spokeswoman stressed that being designated for "unspecified use" doesn't mean permanent freezing of development on the land, only for up to three years.

guojiaxue@chinadailyhk.com

China Daily

(HK Edition 09/08/2011 page1)