(Ecns.cn)--Dongfeng, a town located in a northeast suburb of Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province, is surrounded by fertile farmlands and is widely known as a bread basket. Unfortunately, although the amount of arable land there is far less than the amount of mountainous areas, these fertile farmlands have been expropriated for the Happy Bay International Real Estate Project to build the first hot springs golf resort in Guiyang. However, not long before this, the central government had put a nationwide stop to providing lands for use in constructing villas and golf courses.
An employee from the Guiyang Land and Resources Bureau told a reporter that Happy Bay International has somehow managed to bypass the central government policies. These farmlands were certified for comprehensive land use including tourism, resorts, and residential housing, but not for golf courses or villas. However, the project carries on because it is a provincial project, and government leaders decided to expropriate these lands even though there are insufficient arable lands for the locals.
Containing a golf course, a hot springs spa, garden villas, and a 5-star hotel, Happy Bay International is probably the most popular real estate project in Guiyang. "One week after the first installment of villas went on sale, there were only three villas left," said a sales woman at the Sheraton Hotel in Guizhou. She also mentioned that the cheapest house there is about 20,000 yuan per square meter.
By contrast, fertile farmlands were expropriated from local villagers for a price of 109 yuan per square meter. "These are the best arable lands in Guiyang!" sighed Ma Songfa, a villager.
Bread basket transformed into golf course and villas
Dongfeng town is about 74 square kilometers, with arable lands of around 11,804 acres. The Nanming, Yuliang, and Yudong rivers flow through and intersect there. Villagers said that Guiyang has very limited arable lands. As a famous bread basket, the lands around Dongfeng enjoy very good natural conditions. However, these fertile farmlands will be replaced with many exclusive villas and a spacious golf course in the near future.
When a reporter arrived on the 19th, the land had already been covered by an artificial lake and manmade lawn, and the untreated crops had withered. A golf course was nearly completed. Not far from the golf course, plenty of Europe-style villas were under construction. On the other side, workers were removing cottages in the presence of a smoking man and a weeping female.
Bao Haixiu, a villager, told the reporter that her family used to have an acre of farmland which could produce more than 500 kilos of rice yearly. In the spring of 2009, the town's government held a meeting and decided to rent the villagers' land from them to plant fruit trees. Without the consent of the villagers, lands were "rented" out at 1,400 yuan per month. "We had no choice," said Bao.
Sadly, fruit trees never appeared; instead, a golf course did. Villagers were informed that a company called Guizhou Hongde Properties, which was responsible for Happ Bay International Real Estate Project, planned to build a high-quality mansion area. And the land expropriation price was 72,600 yuan per acre, plus 800 yuan compensation for each square meter.
"We have lived here for generations. Now we have lost our lands and houses. How can we continue to live in the future?" complained the villagers.
However, the local government had no such concerns. On Guiyang's official website, a section called "Build the City of Warm Springs" expresses a view that once Happy Bay International is completed, over 100 million yuan in revenue will contribute to the local government and over 10,000 jobs will be created.
No matter what the villagers think, the lands will be owned by others. Villagers will leave their homeland with anger and dissatisfaction and the rich will move into these villas and enjoy golfing.
