Draft Wan Chai Outline Zoning Plan approved
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    The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Wan Chai Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development within the Wan Chai area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (November 16).

     The Planning Scheme Area, covering an area of about 89 hectares, is bounded by Gloucester Road to the north, Percival Street to the east, Leighton Road, Queen's Road East and Kennedy Road to the south, and Monmouth Path and Arsenal Street to the west.  

     Most of the area (about 25 hectares) is zoned "Commercial/Residential". Some 1.5 hectares of land is zoned "Commercial" covering Wu Chung House at Queen's Road East and Times Square at Russell Street.

     About 11 hectares of land, including the area to the south of Queen's Road East and the area bounded by Queen's Road East, Wan Chai Road and Johnston Road, is zoned "Residential (Group A)" for high-density residential developments.  Two areas covering about 1.7 hectares at Kennedy Road are zoned "Residential (Group B)" for medium-density residential developments.  The Sau Wa Fong area, about 0.5 hectare, is zoned "Residential (Group C)" and is subject to plot ratio and building height restrictions.
 
     About 14 hectares of land is zoned "Government, Institution or Community" to serve the local and district needs for such facilities.  Some four hectares of land is zoned "Open Space" for provision of outdoor open-air public space.
 
     Some 1.4 hectares of land is zoned "Other Specified Uses", including the one annotated "Comprehensive Redevelopment Area" at Queen's Road East/Ship Street, and the old post office building at Queen's Road East which is currently used as an Environmental Resources Centre and annotated "Historical Building preserved for Cultural and Community Uses" to reflect the planning intention to preserve this historic monument.

     The approved Wan Chai OZP No. S/H5/25 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in the North Point and Sha Tin Government Offices, the Hong Kong District Planning Office and the Wan Chai District Office.

     Copies of the approved plan are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plan can be viewed on the Town Planning Board's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb.

Ends/Friday, November 16, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:05

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