Concerns of the society on new mega infrastructure and construction projects in Hong Kong

Abstract

As a country's economy prospers, the government would invest considerably in infrastructure and construction facilities to sustain its economic growth and enhance the quality of life of citizens. While these social facilities would no doubt benefit the society by and large, they could damage the environment and affect the residents in the area during the construction and operation stages. The construction of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link has resulted in an unexpected resonance in Hong Kong a place which is very used to mega infrastructure and construction developments. Those opposing to the scheme were not confined to the affected groups but they also included the professionals and the young generation. The concerns of the society appear to be more unpredictable than before. Should the government fail to identify and address the predominant concerns of the society before a social facility is proposed, the chance of project failure would increase and subsequently the mistrust between the government and the society would intensify. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to unveil the concerns of the society on new public infrastructure and construction (PIC) facilities. The paper begins by examining the major categories of social concerns as found in the literature. Those concerns which are relevant to today's society are identified through a series of interviews. The paper is finally concluded by some pragmatic recommendations for improvement in the current public engagement mechanism. The paper should help policy makers to attain the best socio-economic benefits when planning for new mega PIC projects in future.