Living in Shatin, more open space 

Sha Tin, which lies on the other side of Lion Rock from the congested urban areas of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. New Town like Shatin, always engages the local community on the design, planning, and management of open spaces as residents in different districts have varying needs and preferences.

 

Over the mountains, there’s another Hong Kong: one where cacophonous streets are replaced by the quiet whir of bicycles, where concrete gives way to lush greenery. Sha Tin was once a rural backwater of fishing and farming settlements, but it was transformed into a suburban New Town in the 1970s. Today, it is Hong Kong’s most populous district, home to 641,000 people, but it still retains the flavour of the countryside, with historic walled villages, lush hills and a string of green spaces along the Shing Mun River.

 

Sha Tin and Southern District residents are the most satisfied with the quality of open space in their communities, while those in Wan Chai and Yau Tsim Mong are the least pleased. Sha Tin benefited from its cycling trails and riverfront promenades, while Southern District owed its high satisfaction rate to its waterfronts. Creating high-quality, inclusive recreational open space is critically important to maintain the psychological well-being of our residents.

 

These are older districts and we can also divide these responses by housing type. People living in private individual buildings are less satisfied with open spaces. These two districts had the highest percentage of people living in private individual buildings - 89 per cent in Wan Chai and 65 percent in Yau Tsim Mong.

 

Major property listings

 

The well-known private housings are CityOne, Pictorial Garden and Dragon Range. City One is a residential precinct in Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong. This luxury estate occupies approximately 1,800,000 square feet (17 hectares) of land. The estate was named City One as it is on Lot 1, Shatin Town. It has a census area population of 24,758 people. City One is the largest private residential estate in Sha Tin District. There are a total of 52 blocks of residential buildings with 10,642 units. Each tower is about 30 storeys with units ranging from 389 square feet to an area of 1,018 square feet, offering different floor plans.

 

Pictorial Garden, close to the Shing Mun River and overlooks the Sha Tin racecourse. The developer is Huaying Group, which was completed in three phases. There are a total of 10 buildings with a total of 1,734 units. The Pictorial Garden Phase 2 was extensively refurbished in 2000, including the addition of a clubhouse and re-launch for sale. The third phase of the major renovation project in 2006 was re-sold.

 

Dragon Range, situated at 33 Lai Ping Road in Kau To Sha Tin, the brand new residential development, Dragons Range, is a joint development by Kerry Properties, Sino Group and Manhattan Group. Dragons Range offers a total of 973 residential units with sizes ranging from approximately 450 sq. ft. to 1,500 sq. ft., available in one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom designs. The development also offers different types of special units.

 

The resident clubhouse indoor layout has an area approximately 36,000 sq. ft., providing an indoor swimming pool, 365 Gym, Banquet Room, Sports Court. Outdoor facilities include over 10,000 sq. ft. Central Park, BBQ Garden, Pet Garden, as well as Kiddie World. 

Tourist spots and art culture 

Sha Tin offers some unexpected rewards. The Hong Kong Heritage has crowd-pleasing exhibitions on everything from ancient ceramics to kung fu pop culture. Not far away, Sha Tin Town Hall plays host to public art and regular theatrical performances, while New Town Plaza is one of Hong Kong’s largest shopping malls — just in case you need a break from nature and culture.

 

Sha Tin isn’t a district that most people would normally associate with Hong Kong’s creative side. But there is plenty to explore just beyond the surface of its concrete industrial blocks and multi-storey housing estates.

 

A short journey away from Fo Tan will take you to some of Sha Tin’s other cultural highlights. One train stop to the north is the Art Museum, CUHK, which focuses on historical art and antiquities from around Asia. Suitable for those who are interested in jade carvings, calligraphy and historic bronze objects, the museum's four galleries are worth a stop.

 

One stop south of Fo Tan is Sha Tin’s City Art Square, one of Hong Kong’s largest collections of public art. Some of the highlights include Engagement, a pair of giant wedding rings by American sculptor Dennis Oppenheimer, Night Watch, which fills the bed of a reflecting pool with illuminated animal eyes, and a contemplative ceramic installation by Hong Kong artists.   

Transportation

 

Sha Tin is served by two MTR lines, the East Rail Line and the Ma On Shan Line, and you don’t need to go far from either of them for adventure. In Fo Tan, old factory blocks have been colonised by artists, while Che Kung Temple is one of the city’s largest places of worship. In the hills above MTR Sha Tin Station, you’ll find the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery and the idyllic pathways of Pai Tau Village.

 

Engel & Volkers property estate agents specialize in luxury homes and other luxury Hong Kong property for sale. For more information on luxury real estate in the Hong Kong region or if you need advice regarding the sale of or investment in property, please feel free to contact one of our realty agents through our website.