Draft Sha Lo Wan and San Tau Outline Zoning Plan gazetted
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The planning scheme area covers a total area of about 155.92 hectares and is located to the west of Tung Chung on the northwestern part of Lantau Island, fronting the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Link Road and Hong Kong International Airport. The area consists of hilly terrain along foothills of Nei Lak Shan to the south. It is embraced by Lantau North (Extension) Country Park to the south and north and the sea channel to the north. The area has no vehicular access and most parts of the area are accessible only by footpaths.
A spokesman for the Town Planning Board said that the general planning intention for the area is to conserve its landscape and ecological value in safeguarding the natural habitat and rural character of the area, to preserve historical artefacts, local culture and traditions of the villages and to make provision for future Small House development for the indigenous villagers of Sha Lo Wan and San Tau. Due consideration should be given to the conservation of ecologically and environmentally sensitive areas when development in or near the area is proposed. Small House development in recognised villages will be consolidated at suitable locations to avoid sprawl and to preserve the rural character of the area. In designation of various zones in the area, consideration has been given to protect the natural habitats in the area such as the woodland areas which form a continuous stretch of well-established vegetation with those located in the adjoining Lantau North and Lantau North (Extension) Country Parks and natural streams.
About 6.18 hectares are zoned "Village Type Development". This zone is intended to designate both existing recognised villages and areas of land considered suitable for village expansion. This zone covers the two recognised villages, namely Sha Lo Wan and San Tau.
About 0.55 hectares are zoned "Government, Institution or Community". This zone is intended primarily for the provision of government, institution or community (GIC) facilities serving the needs of the local residents and/or a wider district, region or the territory. The zone covers existing GIC uses, including the Tin Hau Temple, the Ba Kong Temple and the Sha Lo Wan Village Office together with the paved ground in front of the temples located on the western side of the Sha Lo Wan coast, two vacant school premises (Sha Lo Wan School and San Tau School), a refuse collection point in San Tau, three public toilets and the Hong Kong Observatory's Sha Lo Wan Wind Profiler Station and Sha Lo Wan Automatic Weather Station.
About 0.19 hectares are zoned "Open Space" 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. The zone covers a football field, managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, situated at the coast of Sha Lo Wan and a viewing platform along the existing trail near San Tau.
About 0.05 hectares are zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Pier" to designate land for a pier and jetties to facilitate marine access to the area. The zone mainly covers three jetties in Sha Lo Wan and a pier in San Tau.
About 9.20 hectares are zoned "Agriculture". This zone is intended primarily 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 mainly covers the pieces of active farmland at the downhill area to the west of the area, patches of active and abandoned farmland to the north of Sha Lo Wan Tsuen and those embracing the village clusters of San Tau.
About 128.80 hectares are zoned "Green Belt". This zone is intended to define the limits of development areas by natural features and to preserve the existing natural landscape as well as to provide passive recreational outlets. The zone mainly covers the woodlands, shrublands, grasslands, vegetated slopes and knolls, streams, wetlands, abandoned farmland and some temporary structures in the area. The zone also covers a permitted burial ground located to the southeast of San Tau, which is intended for burial places of deceased indigenous villagers in the area.
About 2.31 hectares are zoned "Conservation Area". This zone is intended to protect and retain the existing natural landscape, ecological or topographical features of the area. The zone mainly covers two tracts of mature woodlands of high ecological value to the south of Sha Lo Wan and San Tau.
About 7.47 hectares are zoned "Coastal Protection Area". This zone is intended to conserve, protect and retain the natural coastlines and the sensitive coastal natural environment with a minimum of built development. The zone mainly covers the natural coastlines along the northern, eastern and western peripheries of the area, which comprise coastal features including shorelines, flat rock, cliffs, mangroves, mudflats and seagrass beds.
About 1.17 hectares are zoned "Site of Special Scientific Interest". This zone is intended to conserve and protect the features of special scientific interest such as rare or particular species of fauna and flora and their habitats, corals, woodlands, marshes or areas of geological, ecological or botanical/biological interest which are designated as Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The zone covers part of the designated San Tau Beach SSSI for harbouring the largest seagrass bed of Zostera japonica and Halophila ovalis on Lantau Island and the locally uncommon mangrove Bruguiera gymnorhiza.
As the draft Sha Lo Wan and San Tau DPA Plan has now been replaced by the draft Sha Lo Wan and San Tau OZP, the draft DPA Plan ceases to be effective (except for the provisions related to the existing use and unauthorized development). The representations received in respect of the draft DPA Plan will not be further processed.
The draft Sha Lo Wan and San Tau OZP is now available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin, (iii) the Sai Kung and Islands District Planning Office, (iv) the Islands District Office and (v) the Tai O Rural Committee.
Any person may make written representations in respect of the draft OZP to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before October 27. Any person who intends to make a representation is advised to read the Town Planning Board Guidelines No. 29B on "Submission and Publication of Representations, Comments on Representations and Further Representations under the Town Planning Ordinance" (TPB PG-No. 29B).
Submission of a representation should comply with the requirements set out in TPB PG-No. 29B. In particular, the representer should take note of the following:
* If the representer fails to provide his or her full name and the first four alphanumeric characters of his or her Hong Kong identity card or passport number as required under TPB PG-No. 29B, the representation submitted shall be treated as not having been made; and
* The Secretariat of the Town Planning Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.
The Guidelines and the submission form are available at the above locations (i) and (ii) and the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Copies of the draft Sha Lo Wan and San Tau 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, August 27, 2021
Issued at HKT 16:00
Issued at HKT 16:00
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