SKYLINE Technologies -- News Update ( 28 February 2003 )

28 February 2003

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1. Jardine's Lookout and Wong Nai Chung Gap Outline Zoning Plan approved
2. Draft Tsuen Wan Outline Zoning Plan amended
3. Draft Kwun Tong (North) Outline Zoning Plan approved
4. Draft Ma Tau Kok Outline Zoning Plan approved
5. Draft Central District Outline Zoning Plan approved
6. Housing Authority 2003/04 Budget Endorsed

1. Jardine's Lookout and Wong Nai Chung Gap Outline Zoning Plan approved
Hong Kong Government, 28 February 2003

The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Jardine's Lookout and Wong Nai Chung Gap Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

"The approved OZP is to provide a statutory land use framework to guide development and redevelopment in the Jardine's Lookout and Wong Nai Chung Gap area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 28).

The Planning Scheme Area, covering about 197 hectares, is bounded by Tai Hang Road to the west, Wong Nai Chung Gap Road and Tai Tam Reservoir Road to the south, Tai Hang Drive to the north and hillslopes to the east.

The area is generally hilly and rises from the level of Tai Hang Road in the west to over 400 metres in the east. Developments are mainly concentrated in the north-western part roughly between Tai Hang Road and Mount Butler Road.

About 10.4 hectares of land is zoned "Residential (Group B)" ("R(B)") covering the residential areas south of Tai Hang Drive and north of Perkins Road. Areas along Perkins Road and Moorsom Road, an area bounded by Cooper Road, Mount Butler Drive and Tai Hang Road and an area located to the north of Tai Hang Reservoir Road are zoned "Residential (Group C)" ("R(C)") taking up about 18.2 hectares.

In view of the limited road capacity and the need to reserve the existing character, all sites within the "R(B)" and "R(C)" zones are subject to plot ratio or gross floor area and building height restrictions.

Two existing shopping centres at Perkins Road and Chun Fai Road are zoned "Commercial" covering 0.4 hectare.

A number of sites covering about 4.1 hectares are zoned "Government, Institution or Community" ("G/IC") to serve the local and district needs. Since the area is primarily a residential district with a small population, it is not intended to be self-contained in terms of G/IC provisions. Residents in the area have to rely on the G/IC facilities provided in the adjoining areas.

Areas of about 3.4 hectares are zoned "Open Space" to provide passive and active recreational facilities. Sites allocated for various specific uses are zoned "Other Specified Uses" covering about 32.1 hectares and including two petrol filling stations, two sports and recreational clubs, the Mount Butler Quarry and the radio communications station.

Part of Tai Tam Country Park falling within the area is zoned "Country Park" taking up about 64.3 hectares.

About 30 per cent of the area is zoned "Green Belt" covering about 59.6 hectares to conserve the existing natural environment, to safeguard it from encroachment by urban-type developments and to provide additional outlets for passive recreational uses.

The approved Jardine's Lookout and Wong Nai Chung Gap OZP No. S/H13/7 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at:

* Secretariat of the Town Planning Board,15/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road;

* Hong Kong District Planning Office,14/F, North Point Government Offices; and

* Wan Chai District Office, Ground Floor, 2 O'Brien Road.

Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in Yau Ma Tei and North Point. Its electronic version is viewable from the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

2. Draft Tsuen Wan Outline Zoning Plan amended
Hong Kong Government, 28 February 2003

The Town Planning Board (the Board) today (February 28) announced amendments to the approved Tsuen Wan Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

The amendments include the rezoning of a site at the junction of Sha Tsui Road and Kwan Mun Hau Street, occupied by a residential development known as New Haven, from "Comprehensive Development Area" to "Residential (Group A)10" ("R(A)10') and rezoning of the Riviera Plaza within Riviera Gardens from "Residential (Group A)8" ("R(A)8")to "Commercial (1)" ("C(1)"). Both amendments are to reflect the existing uses of the sites.

Other amendments involve the rezoning of the Chai Wan Kok Industrial Area from "Industrial" and "Industrial(1)" to "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Business" ("OU(B)") and "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Business(1)" ("OU(B)1").

The Notes for the "Residential (Group A)" ("R(A)"), "Commercial" and "OU(B)" zones are revised to incorporate development restrictions for areas designated as "R(A)10", "C(1)" and "OU(B)1" respectively.

There is also revision to the Notes for "R(A)" zone to amend the development restrictions for area designated as "R(A)8", and to permit non-domestic development at the lowest five floors of the buildings within the "R(A)8" zone.

The draft Tsuen Wan OZP No. S/TW/17, incorporating the amendments, is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at the following locations:

* Secretariat of the Board, 15th Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road;

* Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office, 27th Floor, Tsuen Wan Government Offices, 38 Sai Lau Kok Road; and

* Tsuen Wan District Office, 1st Floor, Tsuen Wan Station Multi-storey Carpark Building, 174-208 Castle Peak Road.

Any person affected by the amendments may submit a written objection to the Secretary of the Board on or before April 28, 2003.

Copies of the draft OZP No. S/TW/17 are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plan is viewable from the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
End/Friday, February 28, 2003

3. Draft Kwun Tong (North) Outline Zoning Plan approved
Hong Kong Government, 28 February 2003

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

"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide development and redevelopment within the Kwun Tong (North) area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board (the Board) said today (February 28).

The Planning Scheme Area (the Area) is bisected by Anderson Road. The land above Anderson Road is occupied by the Anderson Road Quarry which is subject to a quarrying and rehabilitation contract up to late 2013, while the land below Anderson Road and above Po Lam Road (the ex-quarry site) has been identified as a potential site for housing development.

To facilitate the implementation of the quarry operation and rehabilitation works above Anderson Road as well as the landscaping works for the slopes around the development platforms for the ex-quarry site, about 107 hectares of land are zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Mining and Quarrying" and "Amenity Area".

About 25 hectares of land are zoned "Residential (Group A)" for housing development, including the seven sites below Anderson Road which are subject to development restrictions as stipulated in the Notes for the zone.

The steep hillslopes in the southern and northern parts of the Area, about 18 hectares, are zoned "Green Belt" to preserve their natural state. About three hectares of land are zoned "Open Space" to provide land for both active and passive recreational uses.

To provide land for various Government, institution or community (GIC) facilities to serve the needs of local residents and those in the adjoining districts, about four hectares of land are zoned "GIC". Major proposed GIC developments include primary and secondary schools, an electricity sub-station and a fresh water pumping station.

The rest of the Area, about 14 hectares, is reserved for road use.

The approved Kwun Tong (North) OZP No. S/K14N/7 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at:

* Secretariat of the Board, 15th Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road;

* Kowloon District Planning Office, 14th Floor, North Point Government Offices;

* Kwun Tong District Office, Kwun Tong District Branch Offices Building, Lower Ground Floor, 6 Tung Yan Street; and

* Sai Kung District Office, Ground Floor, Sai Kung Government Offices Building, 34 Chan Man Street, Sai Kung.

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 is viewable from the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

4. Draft Ma Tau Kok Outline Zoning Plan approved
Hong Kong Government, 28 February 2003

The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Ma Tau Kok Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

"The approved OZP provides a statutory land-use planning framework to guide development and redevelopment within the Ma Tau Kok area", a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 28).

The area has been substantially developed for public housing, private residential and industrial uses.

Areas zoned "Residential (Group A)" and "Residential (Group B)" are intended for high-density and medium-density residential developments respectively. The two zones cover about 44 and 8.9 hectares respectively.

Industrial sites covering about 3.2 hectares at Yuk Yat Street, Chi Kiang Street, Sheung Heung Road and To Kwa Wan Road are zoned "Residential (Group E)" to encourage phasing out of existing obsolete industrial buildings. In this zone, planning permission for residential development is required in order to address the potential industrial/residential interface problems in the redevelopment process.

In addition, the sites bounded by Sung Wong Toi Road, Kowloon City Road, Ma Tau Kok Road and To Kwa Wan Road are zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" taking up a total of 5.7 hectares. The zoning is intended to facilitate comprehensive redevelopment for residential uses with retail and Government, Institution or Community ("GIC") facilities.

An existing hotel at Sa Po Road and two existing industrial buildings at Ma Tau Wai Road are zoned "Commercial" (about 0.4 hectare) to provide for office, retail and hotel uses.

About 9.7 hectares of land are zoned "GIC" to provide land for various GIC facilities to serve the needs of the residents in the area and adjoining areas.

About 21.8 hectares of land are zoned "Open Space" to provide land for both active and passive recreational uses. The Hong Kong Softball Association Recreation Ground at Tin Kwong Road taking up about 0.9 hectare is zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Sports and Recreation Club".

The rest of the area covering about 43.8 hectares is reserved for road and other uses.

The approved Ma Tau Kok OZP No. S/K10/16 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at:

* Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, 15/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road;

* Kowloon District Planning Office, 14/F, North Point Government Offices; and

* Kowloon City District Office, Rooms 1706-1713, One Harbourfront, 18-22 Tak Fung Street, Hung Hom.

5. Draft Central District Outline Zoning Plan approved
Hong Kong Government, 28 February 2003

The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Central District Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

"The approved OZP is to provide a statutory land use framework to guide development and redevelopment in Central District," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 28).

The Planning Scheme Area of the approved Central District OZP, covering about 106 hectares, is bounded by the Victoria Harbour to the north and adjoins Hong Kong Planning Area 24 along the Connaught Road Central/Harcourt Road corridor.

Being the core area of the Central Business District in Hong Kong, the area has a concentration of business activities and is the heart of civic and Government activities.

Although over one-third of the area is designated for road use taking up about 37.4 hectares, a majority of the remaining area is zoned "Commercial" covering about 20 hectares.

Two sites taking up about 6.4 hectares are zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" to encourage and ensure comprehensive development of the area within the Central Reclamation Phase I. Specific restrictions on development intensity are imposed on the two sites. One of them is located to the north of Exchange Square for the development of the Airport Railway Hong Kong Station and retail/office/hotel developments. The other comprises three piers and the adjoining area on the waterfront.

The Pacific Place is zoned "Commercial/Residential" taking up about three hectares on the approved OZP.

A number of sites are zoned "Government, Institution or Community" and "Open Space" covering about 16.8 and 15.6 hectares respectively to serve the local and district needs.

Several sites taking up a total of 4.8 hectares are zoned "Other Specified Uses" for specific uses.

Two relatively small sites north of Kennedy Road near the Peak Tramway and adjacent to the British Consulate respectively are zoned "Residential (Group A)" and "Residential (Group B)" covering about 0.2 and 0.8 hectare.

The well-wooded hillslopes behind the military quarters in the eastern end of the area are zoned "Green Belt" taking up about 1.3 hectare. These areas are not suitable for development due to the topography and their natural state is intended to be preserved.

The approved Central District OZP No. S/H4/12 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at:

* Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, 15/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, Hong Kong;

* Hong Kong District Planning Office, 14/F, North Point Government Offices; and

* Central and Western District Office, Ground Floor, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road.

6. Housing Authority 2003/04 Budget Endorsed
Hong Kong Government, 28 February 2003

The Housing Authority's (HA) Revised Budget for 2002/03 and Proposed Budget for 2003/04 were endorsed today (February 28) by its Finance Committee (FC) for the Authority's approval next month.

The Committee also noted the financial forecasts from 2004/05 to 2006/07.

The Authority's Consolidated Operating Account for the 2002/03 Revised Budget shows a deficit of $775 million while the Proposed Budget for 2003/04 also envisages an operating deficit of $524 million.

The Chairman of the FC, Mr Eddy Fong attributed the deficits to the reduction in income following the ten-month moratorium in sales of the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) and the subsequent cessation of the scheme as announced last November.

"Although the Authority faces a very difficult financial situation, we are fairly confident that we can overcome our difficulties," Mr Fong said, noting that the Housing Department is actively pursuing a number of initiatives to ensure a steady and smooth availability of funds to meet the Authority's programmes and operations in the longer term.

"These include a comprehensive review of the financial arrangements between the Government and the Authority, arrangements to dispose the surplus HOS flats, as well as potential divestment of the Authority's retail and carparking facilities," he added.

The Authority will also implement various business process re-engineering and cost-saving initiatives to achieve savings.

The revised operating deficit for 2002/03 in the Rental Housing Operating Account shows a substantial reduction of $713 million as compared to the previous year.

"With the implementation of the initiatives including Phased Service Transfer, the Voluntary Departure Scheme and various cost containment measures, the operating deficit for the Rental Housing business is projected to decrease gradually," Mr. Fong said.

The 2002/03 revised surplus for the Commercial operations shows a reduction of $705 million as compared to last year's. The reduction reflects the full-year effect of the rent-assessment exercise for retail premises introduced in November 2001 and the reduction in carpark charges for two consecutive years.

The Commercial operating surplus is expected to improve progressively over the five-year budget/forecast period with additional income to be generated from intake of new shopping centres and cost containment measures under the efficiency saving exercise.

The surpluses of the Home Ownership Assistance operating account for 2002/03 and 2003/04 are forecast to be $677 million and $58 million respectively. The substantial drop in surpluses reflects the reduction in flats offered and sold under HOS Phase 24A after the ten-month sales moratorium ended last June and the cessation of sales five months later.

Meanwhile, the expenditure in construction for the next four years will remain in the region of $10 billion to $13 billion, reflecting the Authority's continuous commitment in maintaining the average waiting time for public rental housing to three years.

"Notwithstanding the projected deficits, the HA's finances are forecast to remain positive with an estimated cash balance of $11 billion by end of March 2004, mainly attributable to funding available through external financing of the outgoing Home Purchase Loan Scheme and the new Home Assistance Loan Scheme," Mr. Fong said.

Though a cash deficit of around $5.5 billion is projected by 2005/06, Mr Fong explained that it is indicative only as external factors can have a rapid and dramatic impact on the forecast balances.

"The Authority will continue to adopt prudent financial policies to make the best use of its funds and to strive to obtain better value for money in respect of the services it provides," he said, maintaining his optimism in balancing the Authority's books despite the challenges ahead.