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The Chief Executive in Council approved the draft Peng Chau Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
¡§The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Peng Chau area¡¨ a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 20).
The Planning Scheme Area of the OZP, covering about 99 hectares, comprises Peng Chau and Tai Lei Island. The planning intention for the area is primarily to protect the natural landscape, the rural character and car-free environment of the islands. Residential developments should be confined to the established development nodes and village areas. The existing low-rise low-density character should be retained and, to this end, future development or redevelopment should be up to the existing and committed intensities.
About 70% of the total area is zoned ¡§Green Belt¡¨ (61 hectares) and ¡§Coastal Protection Area¡¨ (7.7 hectares) to conserve the natural environment and the scenic and ecologically sensitive coastal areas.
A total of 8.2 hectares of land is zoned ¡§Village Type Development¡¨. Although there are no recognised villages within the Planning Area, areas under this zoning include settlements developed mainly in the form of village houses.
A total of 9.1 hectares of land is zoned for residential developments. Areas zoned ¡§Residential (Group A)¡¨, ¡§Residential (Group B)¡¨ and ¡§Residential (Group C)¡¨ are intended for medium to low density residential developments which would blend in with the rural character of the area and avoid overloading the planned infrastructure. Areas zoned ¡§Residential (Group D)¡¨ are intended for improvement and upgrading of the existing temporary structures through redevelopment.
An area of 4.5 hectares is zoned ¡§Government, Institution or Community¡¨ to serve the needs of the local residents and visitors. Some 3.5 hectares of land is zoned ¡§Open Space¡¨. It includes a planned open space system extending along the north-western coast of Peng Chau for various active and passive recreational uses and a landscaped waterfront open space on the south-western coast.
Some 1.8 hectares of land is zoned ¡§Other Specified Uses¡¨ which is intended for the development of a comprehensive residential/commercial development and other uses including sewage treatment works, refuse transfer station, liquefied petroleum gas cylinder store and piers.
The approved Peng Chau OZP No S/I-PC/10 is now available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Planning Enquiry Counters of Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin, Sai Kung & Islands District Planning Office, the Islands District Office and the Peng Chau Rural Committee.
Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at 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 (http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Ends/Friday, February 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:00
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