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The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Ting Kok Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Ting Kok area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 20).
The Planning Scheme Area (the Area) covers an area of about 331 hectares. It is bounded by the eastern end of Ting Kok Road in the east, the foothills of Pat Sin Leng in the north, Tung Tsz Road in the west and Shuen Wan Hoi in the south.
About 69.81 hectares of land within the Area is zoned ¡§Village Type Development¡¨ with a view to designating both existing recognised villages and areas of land considered suitable for village expansion. There are altogether 14 recognised villages in the Area, namely, Tai Mei Tuk Village, Lung Mei Village (including Ng Uk Tsuen and Wong Chuk Tsuen), Lo Tsz Tin Village, Ting Kok Village, Shan Liu Village, Po Sam Pai Village, San Tau Kok Village, Tseng Tau Village, Tung Tsz Village, Wai Ha Village, Sha Lan Village, Shuen Wan Chan Uk Village, Shuen Wan Lei Uk Village and Shuen Wan Chim Uk Village. These villages are concentrated in the flat land and surrounded by agricultural land and mountainous areas.
There is only one ¡§Residential (Group C)¡¨ site within the Area (about 0.33 hectares) reflecting a low-rise, low-density residential development at Tai Po Town Lot No. 140, which was approved by the board in 1992. Development is subject to a maximum gross floor area of 986.5 square metres, a maximum site coverage of 19.25%, and a maximum building height of two storeys over one level of car park so as to retain the rural character of the area and to blend in well with the natural environment.
Within the 17.96 hectares of land zoned ¡§Government, Institution or Community¡¨ (¡§G/IC¡¨), there is a ¡§G/IC(1)¡¨ zone north of San Tau Kok Village for the development of a proposed religious institution use with an outdoor Guan Yin Statue and ancillary facilities. This zone is subject to development restrictions of a maximum gross floor area of 4,900 square metres and a site coverage of 28% including landscaped deck structure. The development in this zone is also subject to a maximum building height of 132mPD for Area (a) where a Guan Yin Statue is proposed, 18 metre (one storey) for Area (b) where a Great Buddha¡¦s Hall is proposed, and 14 metre (two storeys (including car park)) for Area (c) which covers the remaining portion of the proposed monastery. Open spaces of not less than 13,000 square metres should also be provided in the development.
There are two sites designated as ¡§Site of Special Scientific Interest¡¨ (¡§SSSI¡¨) on the OZP (about 40.11 hectares). The Ting Kok SSSI outside the coast near Ting Kok Village and Po Sam Pai Village covers the habitat of the mangrove, the coastal deposits of mud and silt which are alternately exposed and covered by the tides. The second SSSI covers the Shuen Wan Egretry at Shuen Wan Chim Uk supports a mixture of herons. The herons roost there and build nests for breeding in the Area. The trees and woodland there are also worth preserving.
The land surrounding the Ting Kok SSSI is designated ¡§Coastal Protection Area¡¨ (about 6.97 hectares) so as to protect the special landscape of these natural coastline areas.
Some 3.91 hectares of land is zoned ¡§Open Space¡¨ (¡§O¡¨) for provision of outdoor open-air public space for active and/or passive recreational uses serving the needs of local residents as well as the general public. The ¡§O¡¨ zone south of Ting Kok Road near Lung Mei Village is reserved for the development of a 200-metre long bathing beach.
In order to encourage development for active and passive recreation and tourism/eco-tourism, some 2.19 hectares of land north of Ting Kok Road near Lo Tsz Tin Village is zoned ¡§Recreation¡¨.
About 21.53 hectares of land is zoned ¡§Conservation Area¡¨ to preserve the existing natural character of the area and separate its sensitive natural environment from the impact of development. To retain and safeguard good quality agricultural land/farm/fish ponds for agricultural purposes, about 63.92 hectares of land is zoned ¡§Agriculture¡¨. The remaining parts of the Area, which consists of vegetated foothills, knolls, woodlands and streams are zoned ¡§Green Belt¡¨ (92.32 hectares).
The approved Ting Kok OZP No. S/NE-TK/15 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at the Secretariat of the Board, the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin, the Sha Tin, Tai Po and North District Planning Office, the Tai Po District Office, and the Tai Po 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 can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb) .
Ends/Friday, February 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:45
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