Draft Tai Po Kau Development Permission Area Plan approved
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     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Tai Po Kau Development Permission Area (DPA) Plan.

     "The approved DPA Plan provides planning guidance and facilitates development control within two sub-areas, i.e. the site near Ngau Wu Tok and the site near Tai Po Mei, during the period required for detailed analysis of the land use pattern, study of infrastructural provisions and examination of development options for the formulation of an outline zoning plan (OZP)," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (March 20).

     The draft DPA Plan covers about 11.75 hectares. The area covers two country park enclaves, namely a site near Ngau Wu Tok and a site near Tai Po Mei, and is encircled by the Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve (TPKNR) nestled between Sha Tin and Tai Po. The TPKNR was designated as a Special Area in 1977.  While the site near Ngau Wu Tok comprises well wooded hill slopes dominated by native species located at the southern fringe of the TPKNR and is within the upper indirect water gathering grounds, the other near Tai Po Mei is made up of a large and small portion of land surrounded by the vegetated hill slopes at the eastern fringe of the TPKNR.

     The general planning intention for the area is to protect its high conservation and landscape value which complements the overall naturalness and landscape beauty of the surrounding TPKNR.

     The entire area is designated "Unspecified Use" primarily for giving statutory protection to the area pending detailed analysis and studies to establish appropriate land uses in the course of preparing an OZP.

     The approved Tai Po Kau DPA Plan No. DPA/NE-TPK/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 Sha Tin, Tai Po and North District Planning Office; the Sha Tin District Office; the Sha Tin Rural Committee; the Tai Po District Office; and the Tai Po Rural Committee.

     Copies of the approved DPA Plan are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the DPA Plan can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

Ends/Friday, March 20, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:02

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