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The Town Planning Board today (July 19) announced the publication of five draft outline zoning plans (OZPs) for the closed area/former closed area in the northernmost part of the New Territories.
The five draft OZPs include the draft Ma Tso Lung and Hoo Hok Wai OZP, the draft Man Kam To OZP, the draft Ta Kwu Ling North OZP, the draft Lin Ma Hang OZP and the draft Sha Tau Kok OZP.
The general planning intention is to conserve the rural character of the areas, strengthen nature conservation, promote recreation tourism, retain good agricultural land for agricultural purposes and facilitate cross-boundary infrastructural development.
The draft Ma Tso Lung and Hoo Hok Wai OZP covers a total area of about 553 hectares, of which about 234.64 hectares is zoned "Green Belt" to define the limits of development and contain urban sprawl. An area of about 228.37 hectares is zoned "Conservation Area (1)" to cover the contiguous and ecologically sensitive wetland complex in Hoo Hok Wai. An area of 9.15 hectares is zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Eco-lodge" to provide for sustainable-based tourism in the form of an eco-lodge with low-rise, low-density resort-type accommodation.
The draft Man Kam To OZP has an area of about 354 hectares. The "Green Belt" area covers 114.22 hectares and about 16.68 hectares is zoned "Recreation" to provide recreational developments for the public.
An area of 92.08 hectares, covering the existing Sandy Ridge Cemetery, is zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Cemetery, Columbarium, Crematorium and Funeral Related Uses" for the provision of land for cemetery and related facilities including columbarium, crematorium and funeral parlour and other related uses, as well as a visitor centre and ancillary restaurant and convenience store facilities, to serve the needs of the general public.
In the draft Ta Kwu Ling North OZP covering a total of about 431 hectares, about 208.13 hectares of land is zoned "Green Belt" to protect the existing natural habitats. About 111.83 hectares is zoned "Recreation" for the development of active and/or passive recreation and tourism/eco-tourism.
A site to the southwest of Pak Fu Shan, which covers an area of about 23.82 hectares, is zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Boundary Crossing Facilities" for the development of facilities related to the proposed Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point.
The draft Sha Tau Kok OZP has drawn up 461.39 hectares of "Green Belt" out of its total area of 557 hectares of land. An area of about 5.14 hectares south of Sha Tau Kok Road is zoned "Recreation (1)" for low-intensity recreational developments to promote agri-tourism and eco-tourism.
The "Green Belt" zoning in the draft Lin Ma Hang and draft Sha Tau Kok OZPs includes part of the potential country park at Robin's Nest.
The draft Lin Ma Hang OZP covers an area of about 329 hectares, with 10.62 hectares zoned "Site of Special Scientific Interest", 4.71 hectares zoned "Green Belt (1)" which covers the two land corridors adjoining Lin Ma Hang Stream at the eastern and western upstream area at higher altitude, and 1.95 hectares zoned "Conservation Area" which covers the fung shui woodlands at the eastern backdrop of Lin Ma Hang.
"Conservation Area" is also included in the five OZPs to conserve existing natural landscape and ecological and topographical features and to protect sensitive natural environment from adverse effects of development.
All five OZPs include "Village Type Development" zones which cover existing recognised villages and areas of land considered suitable for village expansion. The zoning will concentrate Small House developments within existing villages or at suitable locations for more orderly and efficient use of land and conservation of the surrounding natural setting.
The draft plans are 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 Sha Tin, Tai Po and North District Planning Office; the North District Office; and the Sheung Shui, Ta Kwu Ling and Sha Tau Kok District Rural Committees.
Any person may make written representations in respect of the draft plans to the Secretary of the Board on or before September 19.
Copies of the draft plans are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in Yau Ma Tei and North Point. The electronic version of the plans can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Ends/Friday, July 19, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:00
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