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The Town Planning Board today (February 19) announced the publication of the draft Kuk Po, Fung Hang and Yung Shue Au Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
The planning scheme area, covering a total land area of about 90.27 hectares, comprising three sub-areas, namely Kuk Po, Fung Hang and Yung Shue Au. It is surrounded by Plover Cove Country Park (PCCP) at the northeastern fringe of the New Territories and fronting Starling Inlet in the north.
A spokesman for the Board said, "The general planning intention of the area is to protect its high conservation and landscape value which complements the overall naturalness and the landscape beauty of the surrounding PCCP. It is also to consolidate village development so as to avoid undesirable disturbances to the natural environment and overtaxing the limited infrastructure in the area."
About 5.88 hectares of land is zoned "Village Type Development" to designate both the existing recognised village and areas of land considered suitable for village expansion.
About 0.06 hectares of land, mainly covering Kai Choi School and Hip Tin Temple in Kuk Po, is zoned "Government, Institution or Community" ("G/IC"). The building comprising the above facilities was constructed in 1931 and is a Grade 3 historic building. The "G/IC" zoning is primarily for the provision of government, institution or community facilities serving the needs of the local residents and/or a wider district, region or the territory.
About 3.94 hectares of land is zoned "Agriculture" to retain and safeguard good quality agricultural land/farms/fish ponds for agricultural purposes. It is also intended to retain fallow arable land with good potential for rehabilitation for cultivation and other agricultural purposes. This zone covers fallow agricultural land which possesses potential for agricultural rehabilitation and is not covered with dense vegetation adjoining the existing village clusters at more accessible locations.
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 57.38 hectares of land, comprising mainly woodlands, shrublands, streams and rocky/sandy shores, is zoned "Green Belt" to provide a buffer between the village type developments and PCCP, and conserve the natural and rural character of the area.
About 23.01 hectares of land is zoned "Conservation Area" to protect and retain the existing natural landscape, ecological or topographical features of the area for conservation, educational and research purposes and to separate sensitive natural environment such as Country Park from the adverse effects of development. This zone covers the mature woodlands behind villages, the freshwater/brackish marshes and the adjoining lower sections of the Ecologically Important Streams in Kuk Po and Yung Shue Au as well as the estuarine mangrove in Fung Hang.
The draft Kuk Po, Fung Hang and Yung Shue Au OZP is now available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the 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 Sha Tau Kok District Rural Committee.
Any person may make written representations in respect of the draft OZP to the Secretary of the Board on or before April 19.
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 at the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Ends/Friday, February 19, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:03
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