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The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Mui Wo Fringe Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide development and redevelopment within the Mui Wo Fringe area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (September 19).
The Planning Scheme Area, covering an area of about 241 hectares, is bounded by Butterfly Hill and Mui Wo proper in the east, the foothills of Wo Sheung Au in the north, Lantau North Country Park in the west, and South Lantau Road and Lantau South Country Park in the south.
The general planning intention is to retain the rural character by limiting development and promoting agricultural activities, and to allow for village expansion in areas where development is considered appropriate. Certain low-intensity recreational uses compatible with the rural setting will be encouraged. A piece of vacant Government land at the western end of Ngan Kwong Wan Road is planned for Home Ownership Scheme development in view of its proximity to the existing Ngan Wan Estate and the Mui Wo Town Centre.
About 0.77 hectare of land at the western end of Ngan Kwong Wan Road is zoned "Residential (Group A)" for medium-density residential development.
To encourage the improvement and upgrading of existing temporary structures through their redevelopment into permanent low-rise and low-density residential buildings, a total of about 26.95 hectares of land in Wo Tin, Pak Ngan Heung, Tsoi Yuen Tsuen, near Mui Wo Kau Tsuen, to the south of Tai Tei Tong and south-east of Luk Tei Tong villages is zoned "Residential (Group D)".
Besides, about 12.73 hectares of land in the recognised villages and their adjoining areas suitable for village expansion are zoned "Village Type Development".
A total of about 5.67 hectares of land is zoned "Government, Institution or Community" to provide government, institution or community facilities serving the needs of the local residents and a wider district. These facilities include Mui Wo School and the Silver Mine Bay Water Treatment Works, and land reserved for a proposed lowland sewage pumping station to the northeast of Luk Tei Tong Village.
About 1.22 hectares of land are zoned "Open Space" to provide outdoor open-air space for active and passive recreational uses serving the needs of local population as well as the visitors.
About 18.39 hectares of land are zoned "Recreation" for recreational developments for public use. Development of active and passive recreation and tourism/eco-tourism is encouraged.
About 28.06 hectares of agricultural land are zoned "Agriculture" to retain and safeguard good quality agricultural land, farm and fish ponds for agricultural purposes, and fallow arable land with good potential for rehabilitation for cultivation and other agricultural purposes.
To define the limits of urban and sub-urban development areas by natural features and to contain urban sprawl as well as to provide passive recreational outlets, about 143.95 hectares of land are zoned "Green Belt". This land mainly covers the foothills, lower hillslopes, spurs, isolated knolls, woodland, and vegetated land adjoining the western and southern boundaries of the Mui Wo Fringe area.
An area to the west of Ngan Wan Estate, with an area of about 1.67 hectares, is zoned "Undetermined". The long-term use of this area will be subject to further study and resolution of the infrastructural constraints.
The approved Mui Wo Fringe OZP No. S/I-MWF/10 is 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 Sai Kung and Islands District Planning Office, the Islands District Office and the Mui Wo Rural Committee.
Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Ends/Friday, September 19, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:02
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