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Discovery Bay (DB) is a residential development in Hong Kong situated on the north-eastern coast of Lantau Island in the New Territories. The development spans an area of 6.5 square kilometres, and includes two bays, Tai Pak Wan (大白灣) and Yi Pak Wan (二白灣).

DB has a current population of around 14,300 residents with a sizeable expatriate community of residents from over thirty countries. DB is located two kilometres west of Hong Kong Disneyland and approximately 16 kilometres west from the nearest point on Hong Kong Island, with the co-ordinates 22°17′44″N 114°00′59″E / 22.29556°N 114.01639°E / 22.29556; 114.01639.

DB is a privately owned development consisting of 13 development phases with properties ranging from garden houses to high rise towers of up to 25 stories. DB is eventually expected to be home to 25,000 residents and a number of new phases are currently either under development or in the planning stages. The development also features a 400 metre man-made beach (Tai Pak Bay), several private membership clubs including a golf and a marina club. While it is considered to be a low-density development by Hong Kong standards due to the amount of open spaces (plot to development ratio), DB is however the second most populous place (after the New Town of Tung Chung) on the sparsely populated Lantau Island. Unlike many other developments in Hong Kong, a "reasonable" number of pets are allowed, whereas other developments generally ban them due to limited space.

History

DB was originally conceived in 1976 as a public holiday resort by the developer, Hong Kong Resort Company Limited (HKR) in agreement with the Hong Kong government. The plan was later transformed into a residential development, in a classic example of "collusion" between the government and developers. This was unofficially done; the plan originally envisaged hotels, public golf courses, a cable car network, beaches and holiday homes - and yet, today only the beach on Tai Pak Wan and a fish pond in Yi Pak Wan are available for public use.

Furthermore, the development was found to have encroached on government land. The change to the plan from a public holiday resort to a private residential development attracted controversy from the government, local media and the general public, resulting in subsequent debates in the Legislative Council - which concluded that while the government approved the changes in plans, land premiums that are payable in conjunction with the changes were never paid - nor requested by the government in the twenty-plus years since. Moreover, The Audit Office could not find the public recreational facilities which were the main reason for the initial land grant.

Construction of DB began in the early 1980s. The idea of a self-contained community with resort characteristics was unique and proved popular in Hong Kong; when the first phase of DB went on sale in 1982, houses and flats sold out quickly.

However, the frequent release of new flats onto the market means that owners often find that selling their old flats may take longer. Furthermore, as the original development is over twenty years old, owners of older units may find themselves landed with expensive bills to pay for the replacement of the buildings ageing infrastructure - including village roads to sewage systems and water supply systems..

Current development

Discovery Bay was developed in phases and the developer, HKR, envisage that DB will eventually be home to 25,000 residents. The following data applies as of December 2005:

Phases of development

• Phase 1: Beach Village (Seabird Lane, Seahorse Lane), Headland Village (Seabee Lane 1-11, Headland Drive), Parkridge Village
• Phase 2: Midvale Village (Middle Lane)
• Phase 3: Headland Village (Seabee Lane), Parkvale Village, Hillgrove Village, Parkland Drive
• Phase 4: Peninsula Village
• Phase 5: Greenvale Village
• Phase 6: DB Plaza
• Phase 7: La Vista, Bijou Hamlet
• Phase 8: La Costa
• Phase 9: La Serene
• Phase 10: Neo Horizon
• Phase 11: Siena One
• Phase 12: Siena Two
• Phase 13: Chianti

Current and planned projects

DB Plaza In early 2005, the developer HKR announced plans to renovate DB Plaza, particularly its dated restaurant complex, to turn DB into a "Coastal Leisure & Entertainment Landmark", more alfresco dining options, and an updated image for part of the plaza. The plans were met with opposition from many residents owing to the closure of many restaurants for the duration of the renovation and the complete lack of prior consultation with residents prior to the announcement. Construction eventually completed in February 2007, with the new restaurant complex dubbed Water Margin.

Siena/Discovery Bay North

• Development of a shopping mall, hotel resort with spa facilities, public recreation centre and a new ferry pier in Yi Pak Wan (2008)
• Yi Pak Transport Interchange and associated works (mid-2008)
• Construction of a private independent 'through-train' school operated by the English Schools Foundation (2008)
• Construction of government-aided 'through-train' school operated by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong (2008)

Community, recreation and entertainment

Community life in Discovery Bay is centred on DB Plaza, a commercial hub containing a bus terminus, ferry pier, an open piazza, and a range of shops including a supermarket operated by PARKnSHOP, speciality stores, medical clinics, and a vet to serve the large pet population.

DB Plaza is also home to a number of restaurants and food outlets offering al fresco dining and drinking, in an area dubbed "Water Margin" after the renovation completed in February 2007.

The development includes various amenities, including a man-made beach at Tai Pak Wan, and four private membership recreational clubs including a 27-hole golf course (mainly used by non-residents) and a marina (where some residents choose to live on yachts moored in the marina), natural streams and rock pools, a bicycle track alongside Discovery Bay Road, an astro-turf football pitch, two basketball courts, a number of children's playgrounds scattered around the developments and hiking paths leading to other parts of Lantau Island - including the Trappist Haven Monastery and Mui Wo.

Clubs in DB

(All are private clubs with separate membership fees)

• Discovery Bay Residents' Club (DBRC)
• Discovery Bay Marina Club (DBMC)
• Discovery Bay Golf Club (DBGC)
• Club Siena

Unlike many other Hong Kong developments, residents are not automatically members of the respective clubs - membership requires a separate payment of deposits and monthly fees. This is a point of contention in the community - for example, domestic helpers, which are popular in Hong Kong, must apply for separate membership if they were to supervise children in activities at the club. The exception to the rule is that members of DBRC are automatically members of Club Siena, and vice-versa.

This could be explained by historical circumstances of the development: In the early days of the development, membership of the Residents' Club was automatic and compulsory, and indeed, stored value ferry tickets for the ferries (the only means of commuting to and from Discovery Bay at the time) were exclusively sold by the club to its members. These rules were eventually changed following objections from many residents.

DBMC provides berthing and land-based facilities for boat owners, many of whom live on their vessels. The Marina opens into Nim Shue Wan, a bay immediately to the West of DB, where there is also a public landing stage used by cargo boats and by privately operated ferries known as kai tos that provide shuttle services between DB, the nearby Peng Chau Island and the Trappist Haven Monastery pier about 2 kilometres along the Lantau coast to the West. A kai to service has also replaced the high-speed ferry to Mui Wo (Silvermine Bay) that was formerly operated by DBTPL.

Discovery Bay is a twenty minute bus ride from Tung Chung, where a number of additional options, from a multiplex cinema to three shopping malls, are available.

A number of resident-run activities are also based in DB, offering more choices to the community. These include the Lantau Boat Club, Discovery Bay Pirates Rugby Club and numerous religious worship services including Christian churches of all different denominations.

Transportation network

DB is accessible from the rest of Hong Kong via a road tunnel to the North Lantau Expressway and by a 24-hour ferry service.

All services (apart from Kai-to services) accept Hong Kong's Octopus card as well as cash. In addition, ferries also accept single-journey and 50-journey electronic tickets. Half-price discounts are offered for children, senior citizens and students under the age of 18 living in DB on the external bus and ferry routes. However, discounts are not offered on the internal bus routes, a serious bone of contention among the residents.

External transport

Scheduled external public transport services include:

Ferry services

• A 24-hour ferry service ply between DB Pier on Tai Pak Bay and Pier 3 in Central District on Hong Kong Island (journey time of approximately 25-30 minutes; frequency of around 20-30 minutes during day time, but up to 90 minutes waiting time during night times.Current ticket prices are HKD$27 for a single journey ticket.Since end-2005, ferries are equipped with free on-board Wi-Fi wireless broadband internet, which is unique not only in Hong Kong but across Asia.
• Kai-to ferries operated by an independent operator link Discovery Bay to nearby Peng Chau Island (via Trappist Haven Monastery) and Mui Wo, also on Lantau Island (journey time approx. 10 and 20 minutes respectively)

Ferries were the main, and until the opening of the DB Tunnel in 2000, the only way to reach Discovery Bay. Ferries remain the main way to reach DB; and are operated by Discovery Bay Transportation Services Limited (DBTPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of HKR. The route between Discovery Bay and Central are served by monohull and catamaran waterjets manufactured by Marinteknik in Singapore; seating 300 and 500 passengers respectively. Journeys are advertised to take under 25 minutes, although travelling times can be severely lengthened by adverse weather conditions or debris in the sea which block the waterjet engines. One major problem is that the huge catamarans are heavily underutilized during the daytime making the crossing to Hong Kong needlessly expensive.

Road transport

Four bus routes operated by Discovery Bay Transit Services Limited (DBTSL), another wholly owned subsidiary of HKR, link Discovery Bay with the rest of Hong Kong via the Discovery Bay Tunnel:

• DB01R: From DB Plaza to Tung Chung MTR station (journey time approx. 20-25 minutes; frequency of every 20 minutes during day time). Service is heavily over-crowded during peak hours (morning and evening)
• DB02R: From DB Plaza to Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok (via Cathay City; journey time approx. 30 minutes; 24-hour service) Limited seats are available during peak hours.
• DB03R: From DB Plaza to Sunny Bay MTR station (journey time approx. 20 minutes; frequency of every 20 minutes during day time)Service is also heavily over-crowded during peak hours (morning and evening).

In 2000, a 630 m road tunnel linking Discovery Bay to the North Lantau Expressway opened, enabling access to DB by road - and shortening the journey to other parts of Lantau, Kowloon and the New Territories. From the tunnel's inauguration, shuttle bus services (DB01R) run Tung Chung town and the Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok; and shortly after the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland and the Sunny Bay station in September 2005, an additional route between Sunny Bay and DB (DB03R) was launched, further shortening the time to reach Kowloon and New Territories.

Internal transport

Commuting within the development is done via a 24-hour internal shuttle bus service operated by DBTSL, which runs between various parts of Discovery Bay and the Bus Terminus by DB Plaza/the ferry pier. However, this means that transportation between the various villages is often cumbersome as it invariably requires a change of buses at the Bus Terminus. The same applies for residents not living on a direct connection to the schools, churches and most of the clubs.

Private transport

Private cars are generally not permitted to enter the area, with a few exceptions for certain agents of the developer and local businesses, which may apply for entry permits. A key icon of DB is the use of golf carts to commute from one part of DB to another. Supplies of these golf carts is highly restricted by the Transport Department to a total of 500 vehicles, and demand for golf carts can push prices up to around HK$700,000 – almost as expensive as a brand new car.

Education

DB is served by three kindergartens and two primary schools. A number of independent residential play-groups also operate in various venues.

With its burgeoning children and young adult population, school places in DB are limited; furthermore, there are currently no secondary schools in the development. As a result, many students, both primary and secondary, travel by ferry to various secondary schools located on Hong Kong Island, or by bus to the schools in Tung Chung and the Kwai Tsing District.

Kindergartens

• Sunshine House (private/international)
• Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) Kindergarten (private)
• Discovery Mind Kindergarten (DMK) (private/Chinese & international sections)

Primary schools

• Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) (private/international)
• SKH Wei Lun Primary School (government-aided primary school)

Primary and Secondary 'Through-Train' Schools (proposed)

• Discovery Bay Catholic School (proposed; government-aided)
• Discovery Bay Private Independent School (PIS) (private)

The proposed school were initially proposed under the Discovery Bay Master Plan 1996, and the Hong Kong Government ordered the building of the school in 2000. However, little progress has been made towards implementation in the subsequent years, and despite the significant building of new units, the schools remain unbuilt. At present, construction of the Private Independent School finally got underway in 2006 and should be open for the first intake of primary school children in 2008. Construction on the government-aided Catholic School remain to be seen.

Municipal services

Discovery Bay is entirely owned by the developer, HKR manages the development, provides community facilities as well as transportation services. Until 2000, DB had its own private water supply from a reservoir and water treatment plant located near the golf course in the mountain valley above the estate. Since then DB has been connected to the municipal supply from the Water Supplies Department which sources its water both from reservoirs throughout Hong Kong, Lantau Island and the New Territories and from the mainland's Pearl River Delta. Current municipal facilities provided by the government include a fire station and ambulance depot, a post office, a subsidised school, and a police reporting post (daytime and by appointment only).

With the opening of the Discovery Bay Tunnel in 2000, the Government deemed the Police Station and Fire Station/Ambulance Depot unnecessary, and Discovery Bay relies on services provided by the headquarters in Tung Chung. Prior to approval of the Discovery Bay North (Siena) development, the Government ordered the developer (HKR) to build additional community facilities, including a Community Centre and an Indoor Recreation Centre. The first units of Discovery Bay North (Siena) went on sale in 2003; but the Community Centre and the Indoor Recreation Centre remain in the "planning" stage to-date.

Issues and criticisms

Like many developments, DB has its own share of issues. An oft-made complaint is that DB is expensive compared to the rest of Hong Kong; from its monopolised recreation and entertainment clubs to its limited shopping options. Furthermore, various groups such as teenagers and the elderly complain that there are few activities catered to them. Plans have been made to open a skating area for the former, also to be used as a Tai-Chi area for the latter. However, although an area has been paved for this purpose, the opening is stalled as discussions with nearby residents are still being held. The recent decision to renovate the restaurant complex in DB Plaza for an entire year has rekindled such concerns; the lack of food options mean that residents are forced to utilise outlets operated by the various Clubs, which, of course, are owned by the developer.

Transport A frequent complaint is with regard to its monopolised transportation. Whereas other parts of Hong Kong are generally well-served by frequent transport options from competing operators, DB is served solely by DBTSL and DBTPL, both subsidiaries of the developer, HKR. These services, while reliable, take longer than the advertised times. For example, ferry services to Central are advertised to take 25 minutes, and bus services to Tung Chung and Sunny Bay as 10 minutes, although in reality, a figure of 25-30 minutes and 20-25 minutes would be more accurate.

Another issue is with drivers' blatant disregard for and the lack of enforcement of the 50 kilometres per hour speed limit; resulting in numerous accidents.

Construction As an ongoing residential development, construction sites and the related dust and noise is an ever-present issue in Discovery Bay. Furthermore, buildings are generally renovated every seven years in order to ensure higher property values and greater return for landlords. However, this produces significant inconvenience to residents during the renovation period, which can take up to a year or more, with months where the property is encased with scaffoldings - making crime a problem - and significant noise where tiles and walls are removed. Residents who began a poster campaign complaining the issues subsequently had their posters and flyers removed by the developers' representatives, City Managemement.

Miscellaneous DB suffers few natural disasters, with the exception of typhoons and hillfires as a result of a mixture of dry weather and carelessness often attributed to the many construction projects taking place in and around the area.

See also

• List of areas of Hong Kong
• List of buildings and structures in Hong Kong
• Lantau Island

References

1. Discovery Bay at a glance http://www.dbay.com.hk/linkspages/db_glance.htm
2. Discovery Bay at a glance http://www.dbay.com.hk/linkspages/db_glance.htm
3. Grant of land at Discovery Bay and Yi Long Wan (Audit Commission, Chapter 5); 2005 http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr04-05/english/pac/reports/43/ch_5.pdf
4. Yi Pak Transport Interchange news in the development newsmagazine, "Discovery Bay Community", Issue 12, May 2006 http://www.hkri.com/cms1/hkr/hkr2762.html
5. Water Margin HKR Press Release http://www.hkri.com/cms1/HKR/hkr3049.html
6. First Wi-Fi Service on Ferries in Asia commences in Discovery Bay http://www.hkri.com/cms1/hkr/hkr2771.html
7. Discovery Bay at a glance http://www.dbay.com.hk/linkspages/db_glance.htm
8. LegCo Briefing - Road Traffic (Village Vehicles) (Amendment) 2000 http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr00-01/english/subleg/brief/290_brf.pdf
9. Accident on Discovery Bay Road today - why HKR needs to set strict slower speed limits along Discovery Bay Road (forum discussion) http://www.discoverybayforum.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=others;action=display;num=1149834239 http://www.discoverybayforum.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=dbt;action=display;num=1161501373
10. Discovery Bay Hell: Discovery Bay Beach Village Renovations: noise disaster disruption http://discoverybayhell.blogspot.com/

External links

Official sites

• Discovery Bay (official website)
• Hong Kong Resort International Limited (developer's website)
• DbAY (official community website)
• Water Margin, Discovery Bay (official website)

Community information

• Discovery Bay Forum (discussion forum)
• Discovery Bay Information Centre (directory)
• Discovery Bay Residents Electronic Timetable (ferry/bus/train timetables)

• Discovery Bay