Town Planning Board requests further study on Oil Street
site
********************************************************* The Metro Planning Committee of the Town Planning Board today (October 28) considered an application for rezoning the Government's sale site at Oil Street, North Point, submitted by the Designing Hong Kong Harbour District.
"Members welcomed the effort made by the applicant in submitting the rezoning proposal, and supported the general principles of providing more open space at this harbourfront location and adopting a stepped building height profile. Members also agreed there was a need to review the development parameters for the site to take account of changing community aspirations, the board's vision and goals for Victoria Harbour, as well as the latest harbour planning principles and urban design guidelines," a spokesman for the board said.
"However, Members considered that the proposal as submitted would constrain the layout and design of the future development and might not be the best option for this harbourfront site. There could be other ways to achieve the same planning objectives and a better development scheme. Hence, the committee agreed not to approve the rezoning application," he added.
The spokesman said the committee had requested the Planning Department to carry out a detailed study to determine the appropriate development parameters which could meet community aspirations and prevailing planning guidelines and principles, with a view to amending the planning brief for the site previously endorsed by the board. The public will be consulted in the course of the preparation of the revised planning brief before the board's endorsement.
"Given the statutory requirement for submission of a master layout plan for the future development under the current "CDA" zoning, there would be sufficient control to allow the board to scrutinise any proposed scheme based on the revised planning brief and to ensure integrated design and development. The provisions under the Town Planning Ordinance for publication of such planning application for public comments would also ensure the public would be engaged throughout the process. Hence, the committee did not see the need to amend the zoning of the site, as proposed by the applicant," the spokesman explained.
The application submitted to the Board in July this year was mainly for rezoning part of the site from "Comprehensive Development Area" ("CDA") and "CDA(1)" to "Open Space", reducing the maximum total gross floor area from 123,470 square metres to 68,800 square metres and imposing stepped height limits on the remaining "CDA" zone.
site
********************************************************* The Metro Planning Committee of the Town Planning Board today (October 28) considered an application for rezoning the Government's sale site at Oil Street, North Point, submitted by the Designing Hong Kong Harbour District.
"Members welcomed the effort made by the applicant in submitting the rezoning proposal, and supported the general principles of providing more open space at this harbourfront location and adopting a stepped building height profile. Members also agreed there was a need to review the development parameters for the site to take account of changing community aspirations, the board's vision and goals for Victoria Harbour, as well as the latest harbour planning principles and urban design guidelines," a spokesman for the board said.
"However, Members considered that the proposal as submitted would constrain the layout and design of the future development and might not be the best option for this harbourfront site. There could be other ways to achieve the same planning objectives and a better development scheme. Hence, the committee agreed not to approve the rezoning application," he added.
The spokesman said the committee had requested the Planning Department to carry out a detailed study to determine the appropriate development parameters which could meet community aspirations and prevailing planning guidelines and principles, with a view to amending the planning brief for the site previously endorsed by the board. The public will be consulted in the course of the preparation of the revised planning brief before the board's endorsement.
"Given the statutory requirement for submission of a master layout plan for the future development under the current "CDA" zoning, there would be sufficient control to allow the board to scrutinise any proposed scheme based on the revised planning brief and to ensure integrated design and development. The provisions under the Town Planning Ordinance for publication of such planning application for public comments would also ensure the public would be engaged throughout the process. Hence, the committee did not see the need to amend the zoning of the site, as proposed by the applicant," the spokesman explained.
The application submitted to the Board in July this year was mainly for rezoning part of the site from "Comprehensive Development Area" ("CDA") and "CDA(1)" to "Open Space", reducing the maximum total gross floor area from 123,470 square metres to 68,800 square metres and imposing stepped height limits on the remaining "CDA" zone.
Ends/Friday, October 28, 2005
Issued at HKT 19:33
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