********************************************

The Town Planning Board (the Board) today (May 3) announced amendments to the approved Sha Tin Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

A major part of the Shek Mun Industrial Area is rezoned from "Industrial" to "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Business" ("OU(Business)") and "OU(Business(1))" to meet the changing demand for the industrial and business sectors. A mix of information technology and telecommunications industries, non-polluting industrial, office and other commercial uses are permitted in the Business zone.

Several other sites in the same industrial area are rezoned to "Government, Institution or Community", "Open Space" and "OU (Petrol Filling Station)" to reflect existing and planned developments.

The following amendments to the Notes of the OZP have also been made to take forward the Board's previous decisions:

(i) revision of the covering Notes mainly to clarify the Board's intention with respect to "existing use" within the planning scheme area;

(ii) revision of the Notes for the "Industrial" zone to cater for information technology and telecommunications industries as well as other supporting industrial-related activities, and to provide more flexibility to cater for public entertainment and educational institutional uses; and

(iii) revision of the Notes for the "Commercial" ("C") and "Commercial/Residential" ("C/R") zones to permit 'Educational Institution' use as of right within the "C" zone, and in a commercial building or in the non-domestic part of a commercial/residential building within the "C/R" zone.

The draft Plan No. S/ST/16 incorporating the amendments is now available for public inspection until July 3, 2002 at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board; the Sha Tin, Tai Po and North District Planning Office; the Sha Tin District Office; and the Sha Tin Rural Committee.

Any person affected by the amendments may submit a written objection to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board, 15th Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, on or before July 3, 2002.

Copies of the draft plan are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei.

End/Friday, May 3, 2002

NNNN