******************************************************
The Town Planning Board today (March 2) gazetted the draft Po Toi Islands Development Permission Area Plan (DPA Plan) to put Po Toi and its adjoining islands under statutory planning control.
"With immediate effect, the area is subject to statutory planning control and planning enforcement under the Town Planning Ordinance (the Ordinance). Any development, other than that permitted under the DPA Plan, requires planning permission from the Town Planning Board, and any development not in conformity with the Plan or without planning permission is an unauthorised development and would be subject to enforcement under the Ordinance," the spokesman for the Town Planning Board said.
The draft Po Toi Islands DPA Plan covers a total area of about 549.67 hectares. Po Toi islands are the southern-most outlying islands in Hong Kong, which include mainly Po Toi, Mat Chau, Beaufort Island, Sung Kong and Waglan Island.
"Any person who contravenes the statutory requirements commits an offence and is liable, in the case of a first conviction, to a fine of $500,000 and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine of $1,000,000. Any violation will be strictly enforced," the spokesman added.
The general planning intention is to protect the rural and natural landscape of the area with scientific importance and high conservation value from encroachment by unauthorised development and from undesirable change of use. The planning intention is also to reflect the existing recognised village and rural settlements.
About 0.56 hectares of the land area is zoned "Village Type Development" to reflect the existing recognised village. About 549.11 hectares of land area is designated as "Unspecified Use", pending detailed analysis and studies to establish the appropriate land uses in the course of preparing an Outline Zoning Plan.
"The draft DPA Plan is intended to put the islands under immediate statutory planning control pending the preparation of Outline Zoning Plan. It will be replaced by an Outline Zoning Plan within three years." the spokesman said.
The draft Po Toi Islands DPA Plan is now available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, Planning Enquiry Counters in North Point and Sha Tin, the Sai Kung and Islands District Planning Office, the Islands District Office, and the Lamma Island (South) Rural Committee.
Any person may make written representations in respect of the draft plan to the Secretary of the Board on or before May 2, 2012.
Copies of the draft 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, March 2, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:46
NNNN