Feasibility and challenges of cultural landscape and countryside conservation: A case study of the ngong ping tea factory

Abstract

In Hong Kong, while many rural areas have remained relatively untouched due to their remote locations, certain regions continue to face pressure for further development. As a result, there is an urgent need to conserve or document the remaining cultural heritage resources in these areas. However, not all landowners support conservation efforts, particularly when the land holds significant economic potential. This study investigates the constraints and challenges encountered in initiating a conservation project at the privately owned Ngong Ping Tea Estate, a site distinguished by its significant cultural landscape in Hong Kong. Most of the buildings at the Tea Estate are not protected under the current built heritage conservation framework, and much of the land falls under the “recreation” zoning category, which is statutorily approved under Hong Kong’s Town Planning Ordinance. This zoning encourages the development of both active and passive recreation, as well as tourism, in line with the surrounding tourist destinations. The development rights associated with the site present an attractive opportunity for the landowner; however, they also pose a substantial challenge to preserving the cultural heritage in situ. By sharing the preliminary conservation efforts undertaken by our team, this study aims to highlight the difficulties faced by researchers and other stakeholders while exploring potential solutions through ongoing engagement and collaboration with relevant parties.

Keywords

Countryside conservation / Cultural landscape / Hong Kong / Conservation mechanisms / Public engagement

Acknowledgments

None.

Funding

The study is funded by the Lantau Conservation Fund (grant number: RE-2021-11), administered by the Civil Engineering and Development Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Conflict of interest

Sidney C. H. Cheung is the Guest Editor of this special issue; however, they were not involved in the editorial or peer-review process conducted for this article, either directly or indirectly. Separately, the other authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this study.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: All authors Investigation: All authors Methodology: All authors Writing – original draft: Alex W. H. Wong Writing – review & editing: Sidney C. H. Cheung

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Availability of data

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the present study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Further disclosure

Part of the findings were presented at the 2024 IASTE conference and compiled in the IASTE Working Paper Series, 2024, Volumes 329, Vernacular Heritage in Hong Kong.

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