**********************************************
The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft So Kwun Wat Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use framework to guide development and redevelopment within the So Kwun Wat area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (December 11).
The planning scheme area, covering an area of about 474 hectares, is located to the south-east of Tuen Mun New Town. It is bounded to the north and the east by the dam of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir and Tai Lam Country Park, to the south by Castle Peak Road and the coast, and to the west and south-west by Tuen Mun New Town.
About 6.45 hectares of land located on the eastern side of the Tai Lam Chung Nullah is zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" for sub-urban residential development and village housing.
About 10.46 hectares of land is zoned "Residential (Group B)" to reflect the existing residential developments of Grand Pacific Heights and Grand Pacific Views at Siu Lam, and to reserve land for medium-density residential developments within an area sandwiched between Tuen Mun Road and Castle Peak Road - Tai Lam. A total of about 22.13 hectares of land at Siu Lam and to its southwest is zoned "Residential (Group C)" to reflect the existing and committed low-rise, low-density residential developments and to reserve land for future sub-urban residential developments with ancillary supporting facilities.
Some 32.33 hectares of land is zoned "Village Type Development" to reflect existing recognised villages and provide land for village expansion. Recognised villages in the area include So Kwun Wat Tsuen (including So Kwun Wat San Tsuen) and Tai Lam Chung Tsuen (including Wong Uk and Wu Uk).
To serve the local and/or district needs, about 65.75 hectares of land is zoned "Government, Institution or Community". The major existing facilities include the Tai Lam Correctional Institution, the Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre, the Siu Lam Fresh Water Service Reservoir and its extension, the Tai Lam Chung Fresh Water Service Reservoir, the Vocational Training Council Maritime Services Training Institute, the Customs and Excise Training School and Tai Lam Chung Fire Station.
About 0.78 hectares of land is zoned "Open Space" to reserve land for nullah-side promenade. A site of about 0.14 hectares is zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Petrol Filling Station" to reflect its existing use.
About 304.78 hectares of land covering foothills, lower hill slopes, spurs, isolated knolls, woodland, traditional burial ground or vegetated land is zoned "Green Belt" to define the limits of urban and sub-urban development areas and to provide passive recreational outlets.
The approved So Kwun Wat OZP No. S/TM-SKW/13 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 Tuen Mun and Yuen Long West District Planning Office, the Tuen Mun District Office and the Tuen Mun 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 plan can be viewed on the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Ends/Friday, December 11, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:01
NNNN
