SKYLINE Technologies -- News Update (25 April 2005 )

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1. Draft Wang Tau Hom and Tung Tau Outline Zoning Plan approved
Hong Kong Government, 22 April 2005

The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Wang Tau Hom and Tung Tau Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide development and redevelopment within the Wang Tau Hom and Tung Tau area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (April 22).

The Planning Scheme Area, covering about 184 hectares, is located in Central Kowloon within the Wong Tai Sin District.

The majority of the Area has already been developed. The predominant land use in the Area is "Residential (Group A)", totalling about 71.5 hectares, and covers most of the existing and proposed public and private housing developments. About 0.7 hectare of land is zoned "Commercial", covering the Lok Fu Shopping Centre Phase II situated between Wang Tau Hom East Road and Junction Road.

To serve the needs of the local and district population, about 22.9 hectares of land is zoned "Government, Institution or Community". Examples of the major existing facilities are the Hong Kong Buddhist Association Hospital, the swimming pool complex and indoor games hall at Morse Park, various religious institutions, service reservoirs, primary and secondary schools. Kai Tak Nullah falls within this zone and is proposed to be decked in the long term to provide land for road widening, recreational and parking purposes.

In addition, about 27.4 hectares of land is zoned "Open Space" for the provision of outdoor open-air space for active and/or passive recreational uses. Major existing open spaces include Morse Park and Lion Rock Park near Lung Cheung Road.

About 39.1 hectares of land, mainly covering the Lion Rock hillslopes, is zoned "Green Belt" for the conservation of the existing natural environment. About 2.8 hectares of land is zoned "Other Specified Uses", covering the existing cemetery and petrol filling stations. The rest of the Area, about 19.8 hectares of land, is designated for major roads and other related uses.

The approved Wang Tau Hom and Tung Tau OZP No. S/K8/17 is available for public inspection during normal office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Kowloon District Planning Office, and the Wong Tai Sin District Office.

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

A spokesman for the Town Planning Board (the Board) said today (April 22) that the approved OZP would provide a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Ting Kok area.

The Planning Scheme Area, covering about 330 hectares of land, is located to the east of Tai Po New Town. It is bounded by Ting Kok Road in the east, the foothills of Pat Sin Leng in the north, Tung Tsz Road in the west and Sheun Wan Hoi in the south.

The general planning intention of the Area is to conserve the natural environment and to protect it from intensive urban development. Only about 0.3 hectare of land is zoned "Residential (Group C)" for low-rise, low-density residential development. To meet the Small House demand for indigenous villagers, about 69.8 hectares of land is zoned "Village Type Development".

In order to encourage the development of low-intensity recreation and tourism uses, about 2.2 hectares of land to the south of Lo Tsz Tin Village is zoned "Recreation". To serve the needs of the local and district population, about 13.3 hectares and 3.6 hectares of land are zoned "Government, Institution or Community" and "Open Space" respectively.

Another 4.7 hectares of land to the north of San Tau Kok Village is zoned "Government, Institution or Community (1)" to facilitate a proposed religious institution with an outdoor Guan Yin Statue and ancillary facilities.

About 63.9 hectares and 92.3 hectares of land are zoned "Agriculture" and "Green Belt" respectively. In order to retain the existing natural character or ecological features and the natural coastline, about 21.5 hectares and 7.0 hectares of land are zoned "Conservation Area" and "Coastal Protection Area" respectively.

To conserve and sustain the natural habitat of mangrove near Ting Kok Village and Po Sam Pai Village as well as the Shuen Wan Egretry, two sites amounting to a total of about 40.1 hectares are zoned "Site of Specific Scientific Interest".

The approved OZP No. S/NE-TK/10 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at the Secretariat of the Board; the Tai Po and North District Planning Office; the Tai Po District Office; and the Tai Po Rural Committee.

3. Draft Lai Chi Kok Outline Zoning Plan approved
Hong Kong Government, 22 April 2005

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

The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Lai Chi Kok area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (April 22).

The Planning Scheme Area, covering an area of about 91 hectares, is located in the north-western part of Kowloon within the Sham Shui Po Administration District.

About 1.3 hectares of land at Po Lun Street is zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" to facilitate comprehensive control over the redevelopment of the site after the removal of the Lai Chi Kok Bus Depot.

Some 17.9 hectares of land is zoned "Residential (Group A)" for high-density residential development. About 22.8 hectares of land is zoned "Government, Institution or Community" for the provision of Government, institution or community facilities to serve the needs of the local residents and/or a wider district, region or the territory.

About 20.1 hectares of land is zoned "Open Space" for the provision of outdoor open-air space for active and/or passive recreational uses. About 0.04 hectare of land is zoned "Other Specified Uses", which is for the existing petrol filling station at Mei Lai Road.

Some 1.8 hectares of land covering the slopes adjoining Ching Cheung Road and Castle Peak Road is zoned "Green Belt" for the conservation of the existing natural environment amid the built-up areas/at the urban fringe.

The approved OZP No. S/K16/14 is available for public inspection during normal office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office, and the Sham Shui Po District Office.

Copies of the approved 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 on the Town Planning Board's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb.

4. 15 approved Outline Zoning Plans referred back for amendment
Hong Kong Government, 22 April 2005

The Town Planning Board announced today (April 22) that the Chief Executive in Council had referred the following 15 approved Outline Zoning Plans (OZPs) back to the Board for amendment:

- Mui Wo Fringe OZP No. S/I-MWF/5;

- Kwun Yam Shan & Fa Sam Hang OZP No. S/ST-KYS/8;

- Pak Kong & Sha Kok Mei OZP No. S/SK-PK/8;

- Pat Heung OZP No. S/YL-PH/8;

- Sheung Pak Nai & Ha Pak Nai OZP No. S/YL-PN/6;

- Shek Kong OZP No. S/YL-SK/6;

- Fu Tei Au & Sha Ling OZP No. S/NE-FTA/7;

- Hung Lung Hang OZP No. S/NE-HLH/4;

- Hok Tau OZP No. S/NE-HT/2;

- Luk Keng & Wo Hang OZP No. S/NE-LK/8;

- Lung Yeuk Tau & Kwan Tei South OZP No. S/NE-LYT/9;

- Man Uk Pin OZP No. S/NE-MUP/8;

- Ping Kong OZP No. S/NE-PK/8;

- Ping Che & Ta Kwu Ling OZP No. S/NE-TKL/9; and

- Wo Keng Shan OZP No. S/NE-WKS/5.

Amendments to these 15 OZPs will be exhibited for public inspection under the Town Planning Ordinance.

These OZPs were last approved by the Chief Executive in Council between July 2004 and February 2005.

5. Housing Department Relocates Regional Management Offices to Lok Fu Centre
HKHA Press Release, 23 April 2005

The Housing Department will relocate four of its five Regional Management Offices (RMOs) to the Housing Authority Customer Services Centre (CSC) in Lok Fu by early next year.

A spokesman for the department said that the relocation would save future rental payments as the four RMOs were presently located at commercial premises included in the divestment portfolio.

"The relocation will result in the optimal use of the existing accommodation whilst keeping the purpose built facilities at CSC to maintain quality services to our clients.

"The centralization of the RMOs under one roof will also optimize the shared use of some common facilities, such as conference rooms and reception counters, resulting in a saving in their space requirements," the spokesman added.

Fitting-out works at the four-storey building will be carried out in phases beginning from late last month. The four RMOs - Kowloon West & Hong Kong; Taipo, North, Shatin & Sai Kung; Kwai Tsing, Tsuen Wan & Islands; and Tuen Mun & Yuen Long - will be relocated to the upper two levels of CSC by early next year. The remaining Kowloon East RMO will stay put at Chun Wah Court in Ngau Tau Kok.

Offices with frequent public visitors, mainly the Allocation Sub-division and the Business Opportunity Centre of the Commercial Properties Sub-division, will be concentrated on the lower two levels.

Lawmakers yesterday demanded the government reveal more information about the controversial West Kowloon Cultural District project.

They say documents released this week were inadequate to explain why officials picked Lord Foster's giant canopy design despite a technical panel saying it was problematic.

But in a Legco subcommittee meeting yesterday, Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands Michael Suen Ming-yeung defended the government's action, saying even though there were problems they could be solved.

Lawmakers were discussing the confidential technical report released by the government under pressure from Legco after news reports revealed part of its content.

But they said what the papers revealed was inadequate in explaining how the final decision was made.

Medical sector legislator Kwok Ka-ki criticised the government for failing to reveal enough information. He put forward a motion demanding more be made public.

"The canopy is not just a concept as it involves $7 billion to $10 billion. It also guarantees a single-bidder approach and we need to know clearly what principles the government used for choosing to protect the public interest," he said.

Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat accused the government of not studying the design in detail before making the canopy concept mandatory for bidders, despite it being branded as problematic by the technical panel.

But Mr Suen said the technical panel's judgment was not directed at Lord Foster's design but as a general principle, and said technical problems were overcome at later stages of the selection process.

"There were problems, but they could be solved. Life is full of problems and if we just stand there doing nothing, then there would have been no improvements," he said.

The subcommittee passed Dr Kwok's motion demanding that more information be revealed, including detailed discussions of the technical panel about the canopy design, and government feasibility studies and financial reports.