*******************************************

The Town Planning Board (TPB) clarified today (Tuesday) that according to a revised set of TPB Guidelines (TPB PG-No. 2A) adopted last week for Development of Service Apartment, the guidelines do not involve tightening of plot ratio restrictions on statutory plan.

Under the revised Guidelines, the definition of Service Apartment (SA) is refined to mean an establishment held under central management to provide residential accommodation with central air-conditioning.

It is characterized by fully/partly-furnished studio or two-room unit with a small pantry/kitchenette, or a high proportion of such units in the same building or establishment, and provided with communal facilities, such as dining hall, laundry, recreational facilities and housekeeping services.

"In other words, SA refers to the type of residential accommodation that operates like a hotel establishment. Other types of service apartment developments that resemble residential flats will be considered as flats and subject to the provisions for 'Flat' use under the relevant Outline Zoning Plans," a spokesman for the Board said.

The development of "hotel-like" SA will continue to be permitted as of right in "Commercial" and "Commercial/Residential" zones, and may be permitted on application to the TPB in other zones.

To reflect the characteristics of "hotel-like" SA, it is stated in the revised Guidelines that it should normally comprise not less than 75 per cent of relatively small units, i.e. studio or two-room units of reasonable sizes, say, in the region of 40 square meters and 70 square meters respectively.

However, in order to cater for market needs, larger units or a higher proportion of large units (more than two rooms) may be permitted by the TPB in certain areas of the Central Business District where there is a cluster of Grade A offices.

For sites subject to environmental constraints, such as areas exposed to industrial/residential and road/residential problems, SA development with appropriate mitigation measures may be permitted on application to the TPB. At these locations, SAs that could be easily converted into residential flats would not be permitted.

"In the Guidelines, opportunity is also taken to clarify beyond doubt that SA is accountable for domestic plot ratio (PR) calculation under the statutory Outline Zoning Plan. This is in line with the practices already adopted by the Building Authority and the Lands Department which both treat SA as a kind of domestic use," the spokesman explained.

For areas where there are no plot ratio (PR) or Gross Floor Area (GFA) restrictions imposed under the OZP, SA development consistent with the revised definition could be developed up to the permissible PR for domestic use under the Building (Planning) Regulations (B(P)R).

In the event that there is specific restriction on domestic PR/GFA under the OZP, the maximum PR permissible under the OZP will need to be observed in the development of SA.

However, if no distinction between domestic and non-domestic PR/GFA restrictions has been imposed, SA development will be permitted up to the maximum PR permissible under the OZP as long as it does not exceed the permissible PR for domestic use under the B(P)R.

"Take building development in Kowloon as an example. Despite the fact that, at present, there is a maximum plot ratio of 12 imposed on the "Commercial" zone, there is no distinction between domestic and non-domestic PR/GFA restrictions under the OZP."

"The development of genuine "hotel-like" SA could still be allowed up to the maximum permissible domestic plot ratio under the B(P)R. The adoption of the revised TPB Guidelines therefore will not affect the existing practice," he said.

In other words, the revised Guidelines do not have any connotation of imposing additional plot ratio restrictions on SA development, nor do the Guidelines involve tightening of the plot ratio restrictions already in force", the spokesman reiterated.

The new TPB Guidelines are now available for public inspection at the Technical Services Division of the Planning Department at 17/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point and posted at the Town Planning Board Homepage (http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb/).

Copies are also available free-of-charge at the Secretariat of the TPB at 15/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point.

End/Tuesday, September 21, 1999

NNNN