Draft Kowloon Tong Outline Zoning Plan approved
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     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Kowloon Tong Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Kowloon Tong area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (January 16).

     The planning scheme area, covering an area of about 238 hectares, is bounded by Boundary Street to the south, Lion Rock Country Park to the north, and the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) East Rail Line to the west. To the east, the boundary generally follows the alignments of Junction Road and Grampian Road.

     About 0.25 hectares of land is zoned "Commercial (2)" for commercial uses. It has been developed with eating places, shop and services facilities and offices to meet local needs.

     About 1.22 hectares of land is zoned "Comprehensive Development Area", which covers a site at Inverness Road. The site is intended to be redeveloped comprehensively for residential use with a non-standard school. The zoning is to facilitate appropriate planning control over the development mix, scale, design and layout of development, taking account of various environmental, traffic, infrastructure and other constraints.

     About 75.19 hectares of land is zoned "Residential (Group C)" ("R(C)") for low- to medium-rise, low-density residential developments. Residential use is the predominant land use within the Kowloon Tong area and "R(C)" zones within the area are divided into nine sub-areas, each subject to specific controls on plot ratio/gross floor area and building height. Such restrictions are imposed to maintain and preserve the special character and amenity of the neighbourhood and to prevent excessive development and redevelopment in areas with limited road access.

     About 40.47 hectares of land are zoned "Government, Institution or Community" ("G/IC") while about 31.12 hectares of land are zoned "Open Space" to serve the needs of local residents as well as the general public. The "G/IC" zone has a high concentration of schools and churches, as well as the Hong Kong Baptist University and Hong Kong Baptist Hospital.

     Sites allocated for specific uses are zoned "Other Specified Uses", which cover about 11.76 hectares and include the Military Camp at Waterloo Road and two private clubs (the Kowloon Tong Club and the Kowloon Tsai Home Owners Association).

     About 40.61 hectares of land covering the steep hillsides in the area is zoned "Green Belt" ("GB"). This zone is primarily for the conservation of the existing natural environment amid the built-up areas/at the urban fringe, to safeguard it from encroachment by urban-type development, and to provide additional outlets for passive recreational activities.

     The approved Kowloon Tong OZP No. S/K18/19 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 Kowloon District Planning Office and the Kowloon City District Office.

     Copies of the approved OZP 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, January 16, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:03

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