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The Town Planning Board today (August 21) announced the publication of the draft Tung Chung Valley Development Permission Area (DPA) Plan.
The draft Tung Chung Valley DPA Plan covers an area of about 168.27 hectares. The area is characterised by a rural ambience which comprises a natural landscape of woodland, shrubland, grassland, wetland, mangroves, fallow and cultivated agricultural land, natural streams and scenic coastline with village settlements, historic buildings and temples.
A spokesman for the Town Planning Board said the general planning intention is to protect the ecologically sensitive areas and the rural and natural character, to maintain the unique landscape character and cultural heritage of the area, and to prevent it from encroachment by unauthorised development and from undesirable change of use.
It is noted that dumping, land filling and open storage activities are found in the area and in mid 2015, the conversion of New Territories Exempted Houses into a columbarium was also found resulting in an adverse impact on the ecology, natural environment and rural character of the area. There is therefore an urgent need to prepare a DPA Plan to provide interim planning control with a view to avoiding further proliferation of undesirable uses and degradation of the natural environment and rural character. Owing to the urgency of preparing the DPA plan, the whole area has been designated as "Unspecified Use", pending finalisation of the Recommended Outline Development Plan under the Tung Chung New Town Extension Study and preparation of an Outline Zoning Plan with detailed land use proposals to guide future development in the area.
The draft Tung Chung Valley DPA Plan is 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 Tung Chung Rural Committee.
Any person may make representations in respect of the draft plan to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before October 22.
Copies of the draft DPA 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 at the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb/).
Ends/Friday, August 21, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:04
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