Over 1 million may soon live on artificial islands Hong Kong plans to build

Land reclamation in notoriously crowded Hong Kong has long been a controversial option to boost the supply of homes due to environmental concerns

Hong Kong will add artificial islands to counter a runaway property market that’s made the city the world’s least affordable for housing.

The government will aim to reclaim 1,700 acres (688 hectares) off Lantau Island, the city’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Wednesday in a policy address. That compares with the 1,670 acres of extra land that a previous government report estimated the city needed through 2046.

“Finding land is the pressing problem that we need to tackle urgently,” Lam told the city’s legislators. “We must make bold decisions.”

Land reclamation in notoriously crowded Hong Kong has long been a