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1. New NT roads must await bridge study

2. Planning board rejects height-limit proposal for Mega Tower

3. Approved Hebe Haven OZP amended

4. Draft Peng Chau Outline Zoning Plan amended

5. Approved Ma Wan Outline Zoning Plan amended

1. New NT roads must await bridge study
JOSEPH LO, SCMP 26 June 2004

Decisions on road building to relieve traffic congestion in the Northwestern New Territories depend on the conclusions of a feasibility study for construction of the proposed Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge, legislators heard yesterday. The study will be submitted early next year.

The study "would determine the landing points of the bridge, as well as highlighting the expected usage forecasts and traffic impacts", said Margaret Fong Shun-man, acting permanent secretary for environment, transport and works.

Once these were known, officials would be able to estimate the impact of new vehicular traffic in the Northwestern New Territories, she told the Legislative Council's transport panel.

Ms Fong said four possible road-building plans for the area had been worked out, with a final selection to be based on the bridge's landing point. The Hong Kong terminus of the bridge is widely expected to be north Lantau.

The Shenzhen Western Corridor bridge, linking Shekou to Yuen Long and to Hong Kong's container port and airport via the Deep Bay Link, is expected to open late next year, increasing traffic volume in the Northwest New Territories. If the bridge to Macau and Zhuhai is built, traffic volumes are expected to rise further.

Some legislators expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the government's transport planning, saying that officials had been dragging their feet for years.

"In the case of [the] Route 3 [toll road between Kwai Chung and Yuen Long], you have been talking about the need to redirect traffic towards it for years, but we just keep hearing the same thing," said Miriam Lau Kin-yee, a legislator representing the transport constituency.

Ms Fong said the widening of the Yuen Long and Tuen Mun highways currently under way was adequate to deal with the increase in traffic expected with the opening of the Shenzhen Western Corridor. But she said further planning would have to wait until the bridge plans were complete.

Ms Fong said the bridge feasibility study would be submitted to the National Development and Reform Commission before being presented to Hong Kong legislators early next year.

The feasibility study is considering proposals for a Y-shaped bridge to go from Lantau to Gongbei, with forks to Macau and Zhuhai; to Beian, with links to Macau and Zhuhai; or to Hengqin Island, with a link to Macau.

2. Planning board rejects height-limit proposal for Mega Tower
CHEUNG CHI-FAI, SCMP 26 June 2004

Wan Chai residents opposing Hopewell Holdings' Mega Tower hotel project lost a battle yesterday to restrict the height of the development.

The Town Planning Board rejected their proposal that buildings in the area be restricted to 120 metres, or about 40 storeys.

The rejection, described by the residents as "defying common sense", came after Hopewell launched an appeal against the board's rejection in April of its plan for two towers 58 and 73 storeys high - on transport, aesthetic and environmental grounds.

The board said the restriction proposed by the residents was arbitrary and did not fit in with the mixed development in the area.

"There is little or insufficient justification in the comprehensive redevelopment area for that proposed restriction," a spokesman for the board said.

Under present planning rules, no restrictions are imposed on the redevelopment area, which lies north of Kennedy Road.

On the southern side, building heights have been restricted to 120 metres since May 2002.

The board said the characteristics on either side were different. The north was characterised by a mix of commercial and residential uses, while the south was mainly residential.

The residents said yesterday's ruling made a "nonsense" of height and density restrictions on the southern side.

"It appears to defy commonsense that the board intends to preserve views by limiting buildings to 120 metres on the south side of the road but will not place the same restriction on the north side of the road," said Roger Emmerton, one of the residents.

"Is there one set of rules for major developers and another for other property owners?"

The board spokesman said the board would still have the power to scrutinise the density and height of the proposed development, as it did in April. He said the residents would still be consulted over the Mega Tower development.

Ada Wong Ying-kay, the chairwoman of Wan Chai District Council, said the Planning Department should review the planning regulations for the whole district.

"It is not just the height, but also the mass of the whole development. Its density will [effect] the environment and transport," she said.

3. Approved Hebe Haven OZP amended
Hong Kong Government, 25 June 2004

The Town Planning Board today (June 25) announced amendments to the approved Hebe Haven Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

For the protection and conservation of the coastal features, mangrove and historical remains of an ex-salt pan in Nam Wai, the bay area of Ta Ho Tun, the estuaries of Pak Kong and Ho Chung rivers and the coastal area of Nam Wai are proposed to be included in "Coastal Protection Area" zone.

Besides, there are a number of zoning amendments to reflect existing and committed uses such as the Ho Chung Football Field, Pak Sha Wan Public Pier, and a few commercial and recreational uses at the east and west banks of Pak Sha Wan.

Amendments have also been made to revise the Notes of the OZP to follow a revised set of Master Schedule of Notes to Statutory Plans endorsed by the board. The revisions are mainly to provide greater flexibility in the use of land and buildings, and to permit as of right more uses or developments wherever appropriate.

Furthermore, the planning intentions for various zones are included in the Notes and form part of the OZP to allow the public to have better understanding and greater certainty in the planning intentions of individual zones. In addition, revisions to the Remarks of the Notes for individual zones have been made to clearly set out the development restrictions.

The draft Hebe Haven OZP No. S/SK-HH/4 incorporating the amendments is available for public inspection during normal office hours at the following locations :

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

* Sai Kung District Planning Office, 14th Floor, Sha Tin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road, Sha Tin;

* Sai Kung District Office, 2nd Floor, Sai Kung Government Offices, 34 Chan Man Street, Sai Kung; and

* Sai Kung Rural Committee, 1 Sai Kung Rural Committee Lane, Sai Kung.

Any person affected by the amendments may submit a written objection to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before August 25, 2004.

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

4. Draft Peng Chau Outline Zoning Plan amended
Hong Kong Government, 25 June 2004

The Town Planning Board today (June 25) announced amendments to the draft Peng Chau Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

The amendments include the general revision to the Notes of the Plan to reflect further refinements to the revised Master Schedule of Notes to Statutory Plans recently endorsed by the Town Planning Board.

Amendments include refinement of the definition "existing use", inclusion of the definition "existing building", inclusion of planning control for areas shown as "Pedestrian Street" in the covering Notes, refinements to the statements of planning intention and the Remarks of the Notes for individual zones, and refinements to the schedule of uses for the "Green Belt" and "Coastal Protection Area" zones.

The draft Peng Chau OZP No. S/I-PC/5, incorporating the amendments, is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at the following locations:

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

* Lantau and Islands District Planning Office, 15/F, Sha Tin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road, Sha Tin;

* Islands District Office, 20/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central; and

* Peng Chau Rural Committee, 1 Yuen Ling Tsai, Peng Chau.

Any person affected by the amendments can submit a written objection to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board, 15/F, North Point Government Offices on or before July 15, 2004.

Copies of the draft Peng Chau OZP are available for sale at 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 www.info.gov.hk/tpb.

5. Approved Ma Wan Outline Zoning Plan amended
Hong Kong Government, 25 June 2004

The Town Planning Board today (June 25) announced amendments to the approved Ma Wan Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

The amendments involve rezoning the service reservoir at Pak Wan Teng from "Open Space" ("O") to "Government, Institution or Community" ("G/IC"), rezoning a police post and fire station at Tai Lung from "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Recreation and Tourism Related Uses" to "G/IC", and rezoning a slope at Tai Leng Tau from "O" to "Green Belt", to better reflect the completed government facilities and existing land uses on the sites.

Amendments have been made to revise the Notes to follow a revised set of Master Schedule of Notes (MSN) to Statutory Plans endorsed by the board. Under the revised MSN, various measures including broad use terms have been introduced to provide greater flexibility for change of use and reduce the need for planning application.

The general provisions under the covering Notes and the user schedules for various land use zones have been revised to expand the scope of uses that are always permitted. The planning intention for various zones has been incorporated in the Notes to form part of the plan.

The Notes of the "Comprehensive Development Area" ("CDA") zone have also been amended to stipulate the development restrictions for the northeastern "CDA" site.

The draft Ma Wan OZP No. S/I-MWI/10 incorporating the above amendments is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at the following locations:

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

* Lantau and Islands District Planning Office, 15/F, Sha Tin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road, Sha Tin;

* Tsuen Wan District Office, 1st and 2nd floors, Tsuen Wan Station Multi-storey Carpark Building, 174-208 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan; and

* Ma Wan Rural Committee, 2 Chun Hoi Road, Ma Wan.

Any person affected by the amendments can submit a written objection to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before August 25, 2004.

Copies of the draft Ma Wan OZP are available for sale at 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.