Hong Kong SAR, China: Plover Cove Golf Club (PCGC), the visionary golf development set to transform the Shuen Wan landfill and revolutionise Hong Kong’s sports and leisure offering, has passed a significant project milestone with construction successfully underway on the retaining wall which measures 1.5-kilometres long, for the new 18-hole, par-71 course.

The ground-breaking HK$4.5 billion project will represent a new standard in both design and conditioning. The retaining wall, also known as a reinforced fill slope, is an integral component in this by providing long-term stability and a foundation offering integrity in the construction as well as environmental protection and safety.

Averaging six to eight metres in height, the retaining wall improves functionality by expanding the playable area in the project footprint, creating level surfaces and off-setting uneven terrain and elevation changes.

It supports course design by enhancing drainage and allowing flexible layout options, while offering protection against erosion by stabilising the soil against rain, wind and irrigation.

With the retaining wall taking shape, levelling work is also being carried out on existing ground, enabling the transfer of select fill materials and drainage filter layer (rockfill) with geotextile and geogrid. The materials will be compacted into layers a maximum of 400 mm in depth, using a roller to achieve the required standard. 

Temporary drain channels have also been created on top of the reinforced fill slope to collect surface run-off water, preventing water from pooling inside the filling area and instead enabling its flow to percolate through the geotextile filter to achieve the accepted water quality according to government policy.

Dean Nelson, General Manager at Plover Cove Golf Club, said: “This is a significant milestone in the delivery of a transformative project that will measure up to some of the finest golf courses in the world. The project footprint is transforming in front of our eyes, and we will continue to work in a manner that safely strikes the balance between ecological preservation and world-class development.”

The development represents a key stage in the construction of the championship course and golfing destination which is set to elevate Hong Kong’s sports and leisure offering while transforming the Tai Po area in the New Territories, and generating significant economic growth locally through a diverse offering of up to 350 jobs.

The PCGC project is being developed in collaboration with internationally renowned course architects Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design, agronomy and sustainability consultants Turfgrass, and Flagstick Golf Course Construction Management.

*Plover Cove Golf Club, Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design and Flagstick Golf Course Construction Management are all members of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.