Overview
This former quarry turned new town takes the name of the second-highest mountain in the New Territories, which features twin peaks that form a saddle. The town has been developed since 1979 in a strip between the mountain and Tolo Harbour and is now a vibrant satellite of Sha Tin, with clusters of shopping malls and public and private housing estates. It stretches to Wu Kai Sha in the north and Tai Shui Hang in the south. During the post-war years, the area was populated by families working the iron mines in the area. The mines were long abandoned before the area was developed. The area's heritage can be traced through the old villages such as the Wen Family Village, which consists of a dozen brick houses and basic churches that sit 200 metres above sea level and were built by early missionaries who lived among the mining communities.
Schools
Renaissance College, a private independent school under the English Schools Foundation, connects directly to Heng On station on the KCR Ma On Shan Rail. The school follows the International Baccalaureate curriculum and has 900 primary school places and 900 for middle school. English is the main medium of instruction but the school also offers daily Chinese lessons. There are several other primary and secondary schools in Ma On Shan.
Accommodation
The private and public housing estates in Ma On Shan house about 200,000 people. The latest residential development, Sausalito, is being developed by Cheung Kong (Holdings) and should be completed by the first quarter of next year. It will set a benchmark for residential prices in the area. A premier sea view unit in the development will be priced at about HK$6,500 per square foot and road-facing flats will be about HK$4,800 per sqft, while the average sale price for sea view flats in the district is about HK$4,300 to HK$4,500 per sqft, according to Midland Realty Villa Athena branch manager Charles Ng Him-shing. A 1,225 sqft unit in Villa Oceania, which has sea views and is next to Ma On Shan Park, recently sold for HK$6.12 million, or HK$4,995 per sqft, while a 1,375 sqft unit was rented for HK$20,000 per month, or HK$14.50 per sqft, Mr Ng said.