Hong Kong, Victoria Harbour, reclamation

Believe it or not, Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour was once 2.3 km (1.5 miles) wide, a formidable gap between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon peninsula.

But thanks to endless reclamation works, our beautiful harbor is now just 910 metres wide. A trip on the Star Ferry that used to take 15 minutes now takes about seven or eight, but that's not the only change. The waters are choppier now thanks to the squeeze, making boat trips much less pleasant, especially when anchoring to watch the fireworks during Lunar New Year celebrations.

Instead of adhering to the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance, enacted in 1997, the Hong Kong government has invented all manner of excuses to reclaim hectare after hectare in the name of property development, which of course drives the economy. Between 1996 and 2004 some 80 hectares was reclaimed, with another 12.7 hectares of new land to be created between 2010 and 2016. Some people are now saying the government might as well build a footbridge so that people can just walk across the harbour; if the reclamation continues Hong Kong may be forced to rename the waterway Victoria River.

Instead of following in the footsteps of cities such as Sydney, which turned its harbour into a thing of beauty with people in mind, the government has not planned well: the waterfront is piecemeal and haphazard and generally unfriendly to visit, particularly along the Hong Kong side. Feel like taking a picturesque stroll from Central to Causeway Bay? Forget it, because you can't. And now that the Star Ferry pier has been shoved aside to make way for the Central-Wan Chai bypass (just what Hong Kong needs, more roads and traffic), even that pleasure has been compromised.

But what can the little guy do? Anyone who opposes government reclamation plans can fight them in court, but whoever does had better have deep pockets, because the legal fees will be staggering. Oh sure, the government has promised no more reclamation after the works in Central and Wan Chai have been finished, but it doesn't have the best track record when it comes to keeping its promises.

If it had, the harbour wouldn't be so narrow.