Hong Lok Yuen was previously an orchard owned by General . It is reputed to have excellent feng shui. Hong Lok Yuen was approved for development in 1977 as a new garden estate. Canadian Overseas Development and were the developers. The developing company Hong Lok Yuen Property Co Ltd a joint venture between Wong, a well known architect, and Winpole International Ltd with Sun Hung Kai Properties also later participating in the development. Hong Lok Yuen was sub-divided into a total of 1,196 units between 1980 and September 1993.
The estate
The total area of the Hong Lok Yuen estate covers an area of 558,000 square meters, of which 40% is reserved for forests and parks. Most of the units are 1600-3500 sq ft two to three storey independent villas with garages and gardens. Hong Lok Yuen is one of the few large-scale bungalow-style luxury residential areas in Hong Kong and has attracted many officials and artists as residents. There is a shopping centre, clubhouse and international school, International College Hong Kong, located in the estate.
Incidents
"The Three Corpse Robbery Case" - No. 135, 10th Street, Hong Lok Yuen - On September 28, 1982, between about 9:30 am to 11:30 am a 32-year-old renovation worker entered the house to burgle it but was discovered by a resident. The suspect afraid of being arrested killed the 33-year-old housewife and her 8-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. He strangled the three with wires and ties and placed the bodies in the storage room and bathroom. The suspect stole HK$4,000 yuan, a gold chain, a diamond ring, golden cufflink, a bead necklace, a women's handbag and a bank safety deposit box key. The murder was discovered at 20:10 when the male head of the household returned home from work.. Then incident was one infamous events of the year.. The suspect left Hong Kong on the day of the killing, but returned on October 5, and was arrested by the police on October 16. On June 14, 1983 at trial in the High Court of Hong Kong, the defendant denied three charges of murder and one charge of robbery. On June 27 seven male jurors unanimously found the defendant guilty.. The judge Michael Wong Kin Chow sentenced the murderer to death for three counts of murder, and to the maximum penalty for robbery of life imprisonment.. The judge denounced the inhuman and cold-blooded nature of the killing saying it was difficult to describe the behaviour using pen and ink and the defendant must be completely isolated from society.. In November 1966, Hong Kong had ceased carrying out the death penalty following the United Kingdom. The sentence was, therefore, commuted and the defendant and was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Hong Kong judge.
The Hong Lok Yuen International School was sued for adverse possession of land used by the Man family for ancestral halls that is used by the school as a playground and flower garden..
No. 8, Second Street, Hong Lok Yuen. In December 2014, a 33-year-old female tenant hanged herself in the toilet inside the house, making the house a death home. Afterwards the unit became difficult to sell. It was placed auction with an initial reserve price of HK$33.8 million. The house was eventually sold for a 40% discount at HK$20 million.
Hong Lok Yuen has a shuttle bus service for residents that travels to Tai Wo Station on the MTR East Rail Line, Tai Po Town Centre and Tai Po Market. The following buses also stop at Hong Lok Yuen bus stop located on the Tai Po Road - Tai Wo Section about 300 metres walk from the entrance to the estate: 64P, 64K, 65K, 73, 73A, 74C, 74D, N73 The following red minibuses also stop on Tai Po Road - Tai Wo Section.
Because Hong Lok Yuen does not have sufficient population for a seat, it is in the same electorate as Sha Lo Tung, and other villages. Note: There are other minor adjustments in the above main areas. Please refer to the relevant district board election constituency boundary map and entries.
