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The Town Planning Board today (July 25) announced the publication of the draft Tai O Town Centre Outline Zoning Plan.
The planning scheme area covers about 46.14 hectares. It is located in the north-western corner of Lantau Island and to the southwest of Tung Chung and west of Mui Wo. It lies on a low-lying alluvial plain bounded by Fu Shan in the northwest, mangrove stands in the northeast and Tai O reedbed in the south.
A spokesman for the Town Planning Board said the general planning intention is to preserve the rural character and the fishing village of Tai O and to enhance its appeal as a main tourist destination in the territory. The existing low-rise low-density character of the village together with domestic structures on stilts should be retained to maintain the rural setting of Tai O. Other than the existing recreational facilities, opportunities for integrating existing and potential recreational facilities with visitor attractions to form a tourism node have also been provided.
A site of about 0.18 hectares to the east of Tai O Jockey Club Clinic at Shek Tsai Po is zoned "Commercial" for commercial developments, which may include shop, services, place of entertainment and eating place, serving the neighbourhood and visitors.
About 3.98 hectares of land are zoned "Residential (Group A)" for medium-density residential developments. This zone is divided into three sub-areas including Lung Tin Estate and two Home Ownership Scheme developments, namely, Lung Hin Court and Tin Lee Court.
A total of about 6.02 hectares of land are zoned "Residential (Group D)" to preserve the general character of the domestic structures on stilts, and for improvement and upgrading of existing temporary structures within the rural areas through redevelopment of these structures into permanent buildings and low-rise, low-density residential developments subject to planning permission from the Board. Land zoned for such uses is mainly occupied by temporary structures clustered along the banks of Tai O Creek and located along Shek Tsai Po Street.
A total of about 8.77 hectares of land are zoned "Village Type Development" for the provision of land for the retention and expansion of existing villages as well as reservation of land for the reprovisioning of village houses affected by government projects.
About 5.35 hectares of land are zoned "Government, Institution or Community" to provide government, institution or community facilities serving the needs of the local residents and/or a wider district, region or the territory. These facilities include Tai O Jockey Club Clinic, Tai O Community Hall, an existing market, a telephone exchange, public toilets at Shek Tsai Po, schools, pumping stations, temples, disused water works sites, a refuse collection point and fire stations and land reserved for the development of an event space for community and cultural events, a coach park and a fire boat house at Yim Tin, and an entrance plaza and a public transport terminus cum car park at Tai O Road.
About 2.76 hectares of land including a roller-skating rink, Yim Tin Pok Playground, sitting-out areas, a football pitch, a children's playground, an open grassland at Shek Tsai Po and a proposed garden and promenade are zoned "Open Space" to provide outdoor open-air public space for active and/or passive recreational uses serving the needs of local residents as well as the general public.
About 1.37 hectares of land including the Hong Kong Shaolin Wushu Cultural Centre and a site to the east of Yim Tin Pok Playground reserved as possible campsite / holiday accommodation are zoned "Recreation" to provide recreational developments for the use of the general public. It encourages the development of active and/or passive recreation and tourism/eco-tourism.
To reflect their specified uses, about 1.11 hectares of land are zoned "Other Specified Uses" for the Old Tai O Police Station which has been converted into a heritage hotel, the amenity area fronting Tai O Yat Chung and waterfront promenade along Shek Tsai Po Street.
To define the limits of urban and sub-urban development areas by natural features and to contain urban sprawl as well as to provide passive recreational outlets, about 5.6 hectares of land are zoned "Green Belt". The northern fringe of the area covering the foothill of Fu Shan and a strip of land adjacent to the pond to the south of Tai O Road are under this zone.
About 4 hectares of land are zoned "Conservation Area" to conserve the ecological value of wetland and ponds which form an integral part of the wetland ecosystem. A sizable pond between Tai O Road and Tai O reedbed in the south is under this zone.
The draft Tai O Town Centre Outline Zoning Plan is now available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin, the Sai Kung and Islands District Planning Office, the Islands District Office at Harbour Building and Mui Wo and the Tai O Rural Committee.
Any person may make written representation in respect of the draft plan to the Secretary of the Board on or before September 25.
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 on the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Ends/Friday, July 25, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:30
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