【明報專訊】THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S policy address has led to much public discussion as to where land is to come from to meet housing demands. Secretary for Development Paul Chan Mo-po yesterday talked about developing the "brown land" in the New Territories. This certainly is a possibility worth looking into. "Brown land" is agricultural or industrial land in the New Territories (eg open storage areas and container yards) that has been stripped of vegetation or allowed to go to waste. The development of brown land is advisable since it is less likely to cause environmental concerns and will allow the government to stay away from the clutches of land developers, who have been hoarding agricultural land. Moreover, some brown land owners have already expressed their wish to get rid of their land for money. So if the government resumes the land and offers them compensation payments, it will be a win-win-win situation for the landowners, the government, and society as a whole.