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The Town Planning Board today (July 30) announced the publication of five draft Development Permission Area (DPA) Plans for the closed area in the northernmost part of the New Territories.
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The five draft DPA Plans are the Draft Ma Tso Lung and Hoo Hok Wai DPA Plan; Draft Man Kam To DPA Plan; Draft Ta Kwu Ling North DPA Plan; Draft Lin Ma Hang DPA Plan; and Draft Sha Tau Kok DPA Plan.
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A spokesman for the Town Planning Board said these five DPA Plans are based on recommendations made by the Study on Land Use Planning for the Closed Area carried out by the Planning Department.
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"The general planning intention is to conserve the rural character of the areas, strengthen nature conservation, promote recreation tourism, retain good agricultural land for agricultural purposes and to facilitate cross-boundary infrastructural development," the spokesman said.
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The draft Ma Tso Lung and Hoo Hok Wai DPA Plan covers a total area of about 553 hectares, of which about 217.75 hectares is zoned "Green Belt" to define the limits of development and contain urban sprawl. An area of 9.15 hectares is zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Eco-lodge" to provide for sustainable tourism in the form of an eco-lodge with low-rise, low density resort-type accommodation. About 246.32 hectares of land in Hoo Hok Wai is designated "Unspecified Use" pending a detailed study on the development content.
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The draft Man Kam To DPA Plan has an area of about 354 hectares. The "Green Belt" area covers 114.19 hectares and about 16.68 hectares is zoned "Recreation" to provide recreational developments for the public.
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The Sandy Ridge Cemetery, with an area of 92.08 hectares, is zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Cemetery" to designate land for cemeteries, graves and funeral facilities. The Kong Nga Po ex-borrow area, which covers about 3.23 hectares, is designated "Unspecified Use" to provide interim planning control.
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About 207.82 hectares of land in the 431-hectare Ta Kwu Ling North DPA Plan is zoned "Green Belt" to protect natural habitats. About 116.15 hectares is zoned "Recreation" for the development of active and/or passive recreation and tourism/eco-tourism is encouraged.
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A site to the southwest of Pak Fu Shan, with an area of 23.82 hectares, is zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Boundary Crossing facilities" for the development of facilities related to the proposed Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point.
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The draft Lin Ma Hang DPA Plan covers an area of about 329 hectares, with 253.9 hectares zoned "Green Belt" and 10.62 hectares zoned "Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)". The draft Sha Tau Kok DPA Plan has drawn up 461.37 hectares of "Green Belt" out of its total area of 557 hectares of land.
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The "Green Belt" zoning in Lin Ma Hang and Sha Tau Kok DPA Plans include part of the potential country park at Robin's Nest recommended under the Study on Land Use Planning for the Closed Area.
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The spokesman for the Town Planning Board said that "Conservation Area" is also included in the five DPA Plans to conserve existing natural landscape, ecological and topographical features and to protect the sensitive natural environment from adverse effects of development.
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All five DPA Plans include "Village Type Development" zones which cover existing recognised villages and areas of land considered suitable for village expansion.
"The zoning will concentrate Small House developments within existing villages or at suitable locations for more orderly and efficient use of land and conservation of the surrounding natural setting," the spokesman said.
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The draft plans are now available for public inspection during office hours at the secretariat of the Town Planning 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 North District Office, the Sheung Shui, Ta Kwu Ling and Sha Tau Kok District Rural Committees.
Any person may make written representations in respect of the draft plans to the secretary of the Board on or before September 30.
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Copies of the draft plans are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in Yau Ma Tei and North Point. The electronic version of the plans can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
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The final report of the Study on Land Use Planning for the Closed Area and its executive summary are available at the Planning Department's website (www.pland.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, July 30, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:55
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