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The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Ngong Ping Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment at Ngong Ping," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (September 22).
The Planning Scheme Area of the OZP, covering about 102 hectares, is located to the west of Mui Wo on Lantau Island. The general planning intention for the area is to conserve the natural environment and religious heritage of Ngong Ping while enhancing its potential as a key tourist destination. The design concept therefore aims to maintain the unique ambience of Ngong Ping and preserve its low-rise, low-density rural character and to enhance visitors' experience of the Area.
Existing key attractions such as the Tian Tan Buddha Statue and Po Lin Monastery form the main building blocks of the design concept. They will be complemented by a larger, vehicle-free public square/piazza, which will be connected to a tourist corridor leading from the cable car terminal in the northwest and the public transport terminal in the west.
About 80% of the total area is zoned "Conservation Area", "Green Belt" and "Site of Specific Scientific Interest" to conserve the natural environment and the ecologically sensitive habitats. The three zones take up about 57.8 hectares, 10.3 hectares and 14 hectares respectively.
Some 6.4 hectares of land, including the Tian Tan Buddha Statue and Po Lin Monastery, is zoned "Government, Institution or Community".
Some 3.7 hectares of land is zoned "Other Specified Uses", including the cable car terminal and a tourist corridor which will form the main pedestrian route bringing visitors from the cable car or public transport terminals to the Buddha Statue and Po Lin Monastery. A sewage treatment plant which is under construction and an amenity area also fall within this zone.
Some 1.9 hectares of land is zoned "Open Space" which demarcates an expanded and vehicle-free public square in front of Po Lin Monastery and the flight of stairs leading up to the Buddha Statue to enhance the visitors' experience and connection between places of interest in the Area.
The Tea Garden Restaurant site and the adjoining disused paddock with an area of about 1.3 hectares are zoned "Recreation".
Some 4.7 hectares of land is zoned "Village Type Development" to demarcate the area for Ngong Ping Village. In addition, a small area of 0.2 hectare is zoned "Residential (Group C)" for an existing villa development behind the Po Lin Monastery.
The approved Ngong Ping OZP No. S/I-NP/6 is now available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Planning Enquiry Counters in North Point and Sha Tin, the Sai Kung & Islands District Planning Office, the Islands District Office and its Mui Wo Sub-office, and the Tai O Rural Committee.
Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plan is viewable on the Town Planning Board's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb.
Ends/Friday, September 22, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:50
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