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The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) Development Plan (DP).
"The approved DP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment of land within the WKCD," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (January 18).
The DP covers an area of about 40.91 hectares to the south of Austin Road West and the Western Harbour Crossing Toll Plaza. It is intended to be developed into an arts, cultural, entertainment and commercial district with a distinguished identity.
About 17.23 hectares of land is zoned "Open Space" ("O") to provide outdoor open-air public space for active and/or passive recreational uses serving the needs of local residents, the general public and visitors. On land designated "O(1)", the open space is provided in the form of a park by the waterfront with arts and cultural facilities and a continuous waterfront promenade. On land designated "O(2)", the open space comprises piazzas/squares and a vehicle-free tree-lined avenue with arts, cultural, retail, dining and entertainment uses to create a vibrant atmosphere along the avenue.
About 23.68 hectares of land is zoned "Other Specified Uses" ("OU"). The "OU" annotated "Arts, Cultural, Entertainment and Commercial Uses" ("OU(ACECU)") zone, comprising five sub-zones, is primarily intended for the provision of arts and cultural facilities supported by a range of mixed office, hotel, retail, dining, recreational and entertainment uses. Core arts and cultural venues will be accommodated in sites zoned "OU(ACECU)". The "OU" annotated "Mixed Uses" ("OU(MU)") zone, comprising seven sub-zones, is intended for mixed arts, cultural, commercial (including hotel and office), residential, recreational and entertainment developments to create vibrancy for the WKCD. Other "OU" zones cover the existing ventilation buildings and a proposed electricity substation.
The approved WKCD DP No. S/K20/WKCD/2 is now 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 Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office and the Yau Tsim Mong District Office.
Copies of the approved DP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the DP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Ends/Friday, January 18, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:00
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