The reclamation of land from the ocean has long been used in mountainous Hong Kong to expand the limited supply of usable land in the territory. The first reclamations can be traced back to the early Western Han dynasty (206 BC â 9 AD), when beaches were turned into fields for salt production. Major land reclamation projects have been conducted since the mid-19th century. By 1996, a total of approximately 60 square kilometres (37 square miles) of land had been created through the process.
In 1851, a fire broke out on the north side of Queen's Road Central, burning down many buildings along the coast. To clear the large amount of rubble which resulted from the fire, the Government decided to submerge it into Victoria Harbour, and reclaim the land along the shoreline to create a new road. Land reclamation works were completed in 1852, and the new road was named Bonham Strand after Sir George Bonham, 3rd Governor of Hong Kong.
Completed in two phases, this was one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken during the colonial era of Hong Kong. The first phase (1868-73) significantly expanded the land around Praya Central, which later became today's Des Voeux Road. The second phase took 14 years to complete (1890-1904), and added an estimated 59âÂÂ65 acres (24âÂÂ26 ha) of land to the coastline in the Central District.
The Yau Ma Tei Reclamations were also carried out in two phases. The first phase commenced in the 1880s, and pushed the coastline from Shanghai Street to Reclamation Street. The hill near what is today Austin Road was flattened, allowing for Nathan Road to be extended through Yau Ma Tei.
The second phase took place between 1900 and 1904, and pushed the coastline from Reclamation Street to today's Ferry Street, between Jordan Road and Mong Kok Road. Most of today's Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei west of Nathan Road was reclaimed in this way. Following completion of the works, Yau Ma Tei became Hong Kong's commercial hub, and Shanghai Street the most bustling street in the area.
A section of runway, and most parking stands, were built on reclaimed land.
The new towns, such as Tuen Mun, Tai Po, Sha Tin, Ma On Shan, West Kowloon, Kwun Tong and Tseung Kwan O, were largely built on reclaimed land. They were built in three phases over the course of four decades.
Chek Lap Kok International airport was built on two islands, and was opened in 1998. Land was reclaimed to build a third runway, and to extend the current Terminal 2.
Several land reclamation projects commenced in and around Victoria Harbour during this time. This includes transportation improvements such as the Hong Kong MTR station, Airport Express railway, and the Central-Wanchai Bypass, as well as public recreation spaces such as the Central Harbourfront Event Space, Tamar Park, and the Hong Kong Observation Wheel.
The project involved the creation of four artificial islands, including one in Hong Kong.
Currently under construction, it is an eastern expansion of Tung Chung on the north shore of Lantau Island.
The third runway, and the extension of Terminal 2, in Hong Kong International Airport is built on reclaimed land.
In October 2018, a development project was announced with the intention of creating 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) of land in the form of new islands off the east coast of Lantau, to house an estimated 1.1 million people. The project is expected to cost HK$500 billion.
Much reclamation has taken place in prime locations on the waterfront on both sides of Victoria Harbour. This has raised issues concerning the protection of the harbour â which was once the source of Hong Kong's prosperity â traffic congestion in the Central district, as well as the collusion of the Hong Kong Government with real estate developers in the territory.
Hong Kong legislators passed the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance in 1996 in an effort to safeguard the increasingly threatened Victoria Harbour against encroaching land development. In a judicial review in January 2004, the Court of Final Appeal stipulated an "overriding public need" test which the government must adhere to in order to carry out further land reclamation projects in Victoria Harbour.