The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Tai Po Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
      
      "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide development and redevelopment within the Tai Po area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board (the Board) said today (August 31).
      
     The planning scheme area, covering about 2 438 hectares of land, is encircled on three sides by the mountain ranges of Pat Sin Leng, Cloudy Hill, Tai Mo Shan and Grassy Hill. To the east, the coastline of Tolo Harbour forms its natural boundary. The Area can be broadly divided into three physical areas, namely Tai Po Hui and its adjacent reclamation; the valley floors and lower hillslopes to the north and south; and the steep upper hillslopes in the peripheral areas.
      
     About 108.48 hectares, 35.52 hectares, 141.04 hectares and 0.73 hectare of land are zoned "Residential (Group A)", "Residential (Group B)", "Residential (Group C)" and "Residential (Group D)" respectively for private and public housing developments at various development densities.
      
     A site of about 18.37 hectares at Fung Yuen is zoned "Comprehensive Development Area (1)" for comprehensive development/redevelopment for low-density residential and agricultural uses with the provision of open spaces and other supporting facilities.
      
     To reflect existing recognised and other villages, and to provide land considered suitable for village expansion and reprovisioning of village houses affected by government projects, some 150.35 hectares of land are zoned "Village Type Development".
      
     About 172.12 hectares of land are zoned "Government, Institution or Community" 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. Some 65.77 hectares of land are zoned "Open Space" primarily for the provision of outdoor open-air public space for active and/or passive recreational uses serving the needs of local residents as well as the general public, and some 3.75 hectares of land at Tai Po Kau are zoned "Recreation Priority Area" for eco-tourism related recreational developments for the use of general public.
      
     About 188.74 hectares of land are zoned "Other Specified Uses" for specific uses which mainly include railway stations and railway track, business, golf course, industrial estate, and historical building and site, etc.
      
     About 43.50 hectares of land covering Fung Yuen Valley and the Tai Po Egretry are zoned "Site of Special Scientific Interest" to conserve and protect the features of special scientific interest. Another 75.49 hectares of land including the Tolo Pond Mangrove, the Pai Mun Shan Area, the Tai Po Kau Headland and its adjacent inter tidal ponds are zoned "Conservation Area" to protect and retain the existing natural landscape, ecological or topographic features. About 5.73 hectares of land within Tai Mo Shan Country Park are zoned "Country Park" and development control is carried out under the Country Parks Ordinance.
      
     About 1 262.54 hectares of land covering mainly steep hillsides in the peripheral areas are zoned "Green Belt" primarily for defining 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.
      
     The approved Tai Po OZP No. S/TP/28 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 Tai Po District Office; and the Tai Po Rural Committee.
      
     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 Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

Ends/Friday, August 31, 2018
Issued at HKT 16:00

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