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Buildings Department awards drainage consultancy study
2.
Proposed sewerage system in Sai Kung gazetted 3.
Infrastructure works at Pak Shek Kok 4.
Approved Fanling/Sheung Shui Outline Zoning Plan amended 5.
Tsuen Wan and Tsing Yi Outline Zoning Plans amended 6.
Plan for new terminals pushed back to 2008
1. Buildings Department awards drainage consultancy study
The Buildings Department has commissioned a $1.5 million consultancy study to
conduct a comprehensive review of the Buildings Ordinance and Building Regulations
on sanitary fitments, plumbing and drainage provisions for buildings. A new set
of standards on the design, construction, operation and maintenance of these fitments
and provisions will be established after completion of the six-month study and
another six months consultation with the industry . A spokesman for the department
said that this would lead to proper use of materials and better design, and resulting
in sanitary fitments, plumbing and drainage provisions which were effective in
achieving good sanitation, durable and ease to maintain. "This will in turn lead
to better buildings and at the same time adequately protect the health of occupants
and the environment," he added. The spokesman noted that the existing regulations
were developed in the late 50s and were mainly for primarily low-rise and simple
buildings. "The requirements on design, material, hydraulic performance, standards
and practices may have become archaic and disjointed with today's life style,
built form, environmental science, building services engineering concepts and
building technology. "Inadequate provisions for maintenance of plumbing and drainage
systems often cause severe leakage resulting in health hazard and sanitary nuisance
as well as deterioration of the building structure," he said. The agreement was
signed today (Friday) by the Assistant Director of Buildings, Mr Mo Kim-ming and
a representative of Hyder Consulting Limited. [Source:
Hong Kong Government, 26 October 2001] 2.
Proposed sewerage system in Sai Kung gazetted
A proposal to construct a public sewage conveyance system at Sai Kung Planning
Area 4 located in the northern part of Sai Kung town was published in the Government
Gazette today (October 26). The system is to convey wastewater generated by an
estimated population of about 18 700 from developments in the planning area and
its adjacent villages to the existing Sai Kung Sewage Treatment Works for treatment
and disposal, a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said.
The works will enhance the sanitary conditions of the area, and improve the local
sewage collection system and water quality of Port Shelter. "The works, which
will be carried out by the Drainage Services Department, are scheduled to start
in early 2003 for completion in end 2005," he said. Details of the proposal, in
both English and Chinese, have been posted on notice boards near the proposed
works areas for public inspection. Copies of the plans and details of the proposed
works are available for public inspection at the following locations: 1) Public
Enquiry Service Centre, Central and Western District Office, Ground Floor, Harbour
Building, 38 Pier Road, Central; 2) Sai Kung District Office, Second Floor, Sai
Kung Government Offices, 34 Chan Man Street, Sai Kung; 3) Sai Kung District Lands
Office, Third Floor, Sai Kung Government Offices, 34 Chan Man Street, Sai Kung;
4) EPD Headquarters, 28th Floor, Southern Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai;
5) Local Control Office (Territory East) of EPD, Fifth floor, Nan Fung Commercial
Centre, 19 Lam Lok Street, Kowloon Bay; 6) Sai Kung New Territories Land Registry,
Fourth Floor, Sai Kung Government Offices, 34 Chan Man Street, Sai Kung; and 7)
Land Registry, 19th Floor, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway. Any person
who considers that he is affected by the works and wishes to raise objection to
the proposal is required to send a submission in writing to the Director of Environmental
Protection not later than December 27, 2001. [Source:
Hong Kong Government, 26 October 2001] 3.
Infrastructure works at Pak Shek Kok
A total area of about 1.44 hectares of foreshore and sea-bed at Pak Shek Kok will
be affected by the construction of a fire tug pier and public landing steps. The
extent of the area to be affected is gazetted today (October 26). The works is
scheduled to start in mid-2003 and to be completed around late-2006. Any person
who considers that he has an interest, right or easement in or over the foreshore
and sea-bed involved may send a written objection to the Director of Lands, 20th
Floor, North Point Government Offices on or before December 26, 2001. The notice
together with a related plan can be inspected at the Lands Department Survey and
Mapping Office, 23rd Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road and
Tai Po District Office, Public Enquiry Service Centre, Tai Po Government Offices
Building, 1 Ting Kok Road. [Source:
Hong Kong Government, 26 October 2001] 4.
Approved Fanling/Sheung Shui Outline Zoning Plan amended
The Town Planning Board today (October 26) announced amendments to the approved
Fanling/Sheung Shui Outline Zoning Plan (OZP). The major amendments include the
rezoning of an area to the east of Tin Ping Estate and another area to the south
of Ng Uk Tsuen to "Residential (Group B) 1" ("R(B)1") and "Residential (Group
B) 2" ("R(B)2") respectively to facilitate two proposed residential developments.
These two developments are subject to plot ratio restrictions of 3 and 5 respectively.
Other major amendments include the rezoning of three sites to the north-east of
Luen Wo Hui to "Commercial/Residential (Group 1)" ("C/R(1)"), "C/R(2)" and "C/R(3)"
respectively to reflect the as-built or the planned developments. These three
sites are subject to development restrictions as specified in the OZP. Another
site to the north-west of Luen Wo Hui is also rezoned to "Residential (Group A)"
for residential use. An area to the east of Tin Ping Estate is rezoned to "Government,
Institution or Community" ("G/IC") to reflect the existing development. A strip
of land to the north of Luen Wo Hui is rezoned to an area shown as 'Road' to reflect
an existing road. Besides, part of the "G/IC" zone to the south of Ng Uk Tsuen
is deleted to reflect an authorized road alignment. Zoning boundaries of the "Green
Belt" ("GB"), "Other Specified Uses" ("OU"), "Village Type Development" ("V"),
"G/IC", "Industrial" ("I"), "Open Space" ("O") and "Residential (Group C)" ("R(C)")
have been amended to accord with the existing development boundaries. The Notes
for the "C/R", "R(B)" and "R(C)" zones have been amended to maintain effective
development control. The major amendments include the revision or addition to
the Remarks of the Notes for the "C/R" and "R(B)" zones to incorporate plot ratio/gross
floor area and building height restrictions on land designated sub-areas of "C/R"
and "R(B)" zones. The Remarks of the Notes for the "R(C)" zone have also been
revised to relax the site coverage restriction on land designated "R(C)1" to 50
per cent. The following amendments have also been made to take forward the Town
Planning Board's previous decisions: (i) deletion of the term 'Service Apartment'
from the Notes wherever they appear; (ii) revision of the Notes for the "I" zone
to cater for information technology and telecommunications industries as well
as the industrial-related activities, and to provide more flexibility to cater
for 'Educational Institution' and 'Place of Public Entertainment' uses; (iii)
amendments to the Notes for the "OU" annotated "Transport Interchange with Commercial
Uses Above" and "C/R" zones. The draft plan No. S/FSS/9 incorporating the amendments
is now available for public inspection at the following locations: * Secretariat
of the Town Planning Board, 15/F, North Point Government offices, 333 Java Road;
* Sha Tin, Tai Po and North District Planning Office, G/F, Sha Tin Government
Offices, 6 Tung Lo Wan Hill Road, Tai Wai; * North District Office, 3/F, North
District Government Offices, 3 Pik Fung Road, Fanling; * Fanling District Rural
Committee, 3 Luen Fat Street, Luen Wo Hui; and * Sheung Shui District Rural Committee,
3 Po Wan Road. Any person affected by the amendments may submit a written objection
to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before December 26, 2001. Copies
of the draft plan are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in Yau
Ma Tei and North Point. [Source:
Hong Kong Government, 26 October 2001] 5.
Tsuen Wan and Tsing Yi Outline Zoning Plans amended
The Town Planning Board today (October 26) announced amendments to the draft Tsuen
Wan Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) and Tsing Yi OZP. The amendments to the draft Tsuen
Wan OZP include the rezoning of some industrial sites in Tsuen Wan from "Industrial"
to "Commercial", "Residential (Group E)" and "Other Specified Uses" annotated
"Business". The above amendment is intended to phase out industrial sites at suitable
locations for other non-industrial uses, and to alleviate the existing industrial/residential
interface problems. The Notes for "Commercial", "Residential (Group E)" and "Other
Specified Uses" annotated "Business" were incorporated to cater for these new
zones. A site at the junction of Yeung Uk Road and Ma Tau Pa Road has been rezoned
from "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Hotel" to "Commercial/Residential" to allow
greater flexibility for development. The amendments to the draft Tsing Yi OZP
involve the rezoning of the Airport Railway Tsing Yi Station site from "Comprehensive
Development Area" to "Residential (Group A)1" to reflect the completed developments
known as Tierra Verde and Maritime Square respectively. The northern part of Tsing
Yi Town Lot 139 has been rezoned from "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Container
Related Uses" to "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Container Related Uses 1".
The Notes of the draft Tsing Yi OZP has been amended to permit 'Educational Institution'
use as of right within the "Commercial" zone, and in a commercial building or
the non-domestic part of a commercial/residential building within the "Commercial/Residential"
zone. The covering Notes of the two OZPs have been amended to clarify the Town
Planning Board's intention with respect to 'existing use' in the urban and new
town areas. In addition, amendments to the Notes for the "Industrial" zone of
both OZPs include expansion of the scope of uses to be permitted within the zone
to cater for information technology and telecommunications industries as well
as other supporting industrial-related activities; and provision of more flexibility
to cater for public entertainment and educational institution uses. The draft
Tsuen Wan OZP No. S/TW/14 and draft Tsing Yi OZP No. S/TY/17 incorporating the
amendments are now available for public inspection at the Secretariat of the Town
Planning Board, 15th Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road; and
Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office, 27th Floor, Tsuen Wan Government
Offices, 38 Sai Lau Kok Road. The two OZPs are also exhibited for public inspection
at the Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing District Offices respectively. Any person affected
by the amendments may submit a written objection to the Secretary of the Town
Planning Board on or before November 16, 2001. Copies of the two plans are available
for sale at the Map Publications Centres in Yau Ma Tei and North Point. [Source:
Hong Kong Government, 26 October 2001] 6.
Plan for new terminals pushed back to 2008
Officials and terminal operators will seek further productivity improvements at
the Kwai Chung container terminals over the next few years rather than invest
in new container or river trade terminals, legislators will be told on Monday.
The decision means plans to build new container terminals at the world's busiest
container port have been put back to 2008-2010. A new river trade terminal to
complement the existing Tuen Mun facility will not be constructed until some time
after 2010.As a result there will be a lull between the completion of container
terminal 9 (CT9) at Tsing Yi and further terminal development. The first berth
at CT9, which has a design capacity of 2.6 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units)
is due for completion by the end of next year and the final berth in 2004.In a
discussion paper to be presented to members of the economic services panel, the
government said a recently completed port development strategy review made two
recommendations. These are that the, "new container terminal facilities will
not be required until towards the end of this decade; and new river trade facilities
will not be required until the next decade''. This is despite projections made
in the port cargo forecasts earlier this year year that Hong Kong's container
throughput would rise to 30 million TEUs by 2010 and 40.5 million TEUs by 2020.
Last year, Hong Kong handled 18.1 million TEUs, placing it top among the world's
10 leading box ports. Monday's briefing follows confirmation yesterday that container
traffic through the eight Kwai Chung terminals fell 2.9 per cent to 1.03 million
TEUs in September compared with a year earlier. The Port and Maritime Board (PMB)
figures show there has been a cumulative 2.7 per cent drop in box throughput to
8.43 million TEUs in the first nine months of this year. But traffic figures for
the port as a whole, which also includes the Tuen Mun river trade terminal and
mid-stream loading and unloading operations, show a slight rise in throughput.
The PMB said that for the seven months to July, the latest available because of
the delay in collating the results from smaller port operators, Hong Kong port
handled 10.2 million TEUs. This compared with the 10.14 million TEUs handled between
January-July 2000. Overall cargo throughput, comprising river and seaborne freight,
climbed to 103.76 million tonnes in the first seven months of this year, up from
nearly 99.2 million tonnes in the comparable period last year. Preliminary findings
of the port review, carried out in-house for the PMB, had earlier earmarked two
sites, one at Tuen Mun, the other west of Tsing Yi, where future terminals could
be built. But in the final report, the review said these are not currently needed.
According to the briefing paper, in the possession of iBusiness, the study said:
"We should find ways to maximise the productivity of the Kwai Chung container
port facilities. A task force has been set up under the PMB to develop measures
to enhance the productivity of the Kwai Chung container port basis as a total
facility. The task force will examine ways to improve collaboration between the
private and public sector to make the Kwai Chung port more productive.'' The study
added that no new mid-stream unloading and loading facilities will be needed in
the new future and "no additional public cargo working areas will be introduced
except for the reprovisioning of displaced facilities''. [Source:
Hong Kong iMail, 27 October 2001] |  |
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