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The Chief Executive has approved the draft Kam Tin North Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) and the draft Ping Shan OZP.

The Kam Tin North Area, covering about 599 hectares of land, is located at the north-eastern part of the North West New Territories. With a population of about 8,200 in 1996, it is expected to house 48,560 people upon full development.

The general planning intention for the Area is to channel suburban type developments in appropriate areas. To this end, about 40.36 hectares, 18.72 hectares, 5.83 hectares and 87.06 hectares of the total area are zoned "Comprehensive Development Area", "Residential (Group C)", "Residential (Group D)" and "Village Type Development" respectively.

Another 37.41 hectares are zoned "Industrial (Group D)", 1.48 hectares "Commercial", 3.93 hectares "Government, Institution or Community" ("G/IC"), and 4.45 hectares "Open Space".

Some 17.07 hectares are zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Railway Reserve" and "Petrol Filling Station". About 237.51 hectares are zoned "Agriculture", and 45.21 hectares "Undetermined", pending a detailed land use study.

About 59.84 hectares are zoned "Conservation Area" to retain their existing and natural characteristics and to give added protection to the adjoining Lam Tsuen Country Park. About 10.49 hectares comprising two knolls are zoned "Green Belt".

The rest, about 29.63 hectares, are designated for drainage channel, major roads and other related uses.

As for the draft Ping Shan OZP, a considerable amount of land is reserved for residential development. About 14.87 hectares are zoned "Comprehensive Development Area", 10.77 hectares "Residential (Group A)", 15.78 hectares "Residential (Group B)", and 18.28 hectares "Residential (Group C)". The "Village Type Development" zones (116.83 hectares) mainly cover existing recognised villages and their expansion area, and about 53.45 hectares of land to be affected by the West Rail project are zoned "Undetermined" pending detailed studies on the future uses of the land.

About 9.86 hectares of land at Kiu Tau Wai are zoned "Industrial" to rationalise existing general industrial and godown uses. About 12.22 hectares are zoned "Industrial (Group D)", 19.31 hectares "Open Storage", and 14.31 hectares "Government, Institution or Community".

Other zonings include 7.5 hectares for "Open Space", 37.17 hectares for "Recreation", 113.99 hectares for "Green Belt", and 112.43 hectares for "Conservation Area".

The approved Kam Tin North OZP No. S/YL-KTN/3 and Ping Shan OZP No. S/YL-PS/5 are available for public inspection at the following locations:

* the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, 15th Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road;

* the Tuen Mun & Yuen Long District Planning Office, Level 11, Metroplaza Tower 1, 223 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Fong; and

* the Yuen Long District Office, Yuen Long District Office Building, 269 Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long.

Copies of the approved plans are available for sale at the Map Publication Centres at the Survey and Mapping Offices in North Point and Yau Ma Tei.

End/Friday, March 3, 2000

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