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At its meeting today (December 8), the Land and Development Advisory Committee (LDAC) considered and advised the Government to support two land development proposals handled by the Development Opportunities Office. The committee also received a briefing on findings of a study on an urban climatic map and the wind environment.
Members considered a proposal by NMC Limited to redevelop the campus of New Method College in Ho Man Tin into a 10-storey sports training cum residential building. Members noted that the proponent would be responsible for the construction costs of the project and would lease the sports training block to the Hong Kong Billiard Sports Control Council, the Hong Kong Fencing Association and the Hong Kong Sports Association for the Mentally Handicapped at nominal rent for training of athletes.
Members generally supported the project and agreed that the proposed redevelopment of a privately owned "Government, Institution or Community" site into sports training and residential uses would respond to changing social needs. They recognised that the proposed arrangement would relieve the current shortage in training venues and provide a strong foundation for the long-term development of these three types of sports.
The committee also discussed a proposal by the Sisters of the Precious Blood to expand the Precious Blood Children's Village, which has been in place in Fanling for more than 50 years. Members noted that the proposed multi-purpose activity centre would provide a communal hall and function rooms for organising more developmental and educational programmes for the children in the Village. The new facilities would also allow the Village to organise more therapeutic groups and leisure activities for the children and their families to enhance child-parent communication and relationships.
Members supported the project and considered that the proposed additional facilities would respond to the long-term development needs of the Village and would provide additional venues for various activities so as to serve the children and their families better.
In addition, members were briefed on the findings and recommendations of the Urban Climatic Map and Standards for Wind Environment Feasibility Study by the Planning Department.
The objective of the study is to provide a more scientific and objective basis in reviewing the urban climatic characteristics of Hong Kong. To mitigate the urban heat island effect, the study has formulated an Urban Climatic Planning Recommendation Map and appropriate planning and design guidelines which would help guide the planning of individual districts and development projects from an urban climate perspective. The study also proposes to incorporate a wind performance criterion and other technical refinements to the air ventilation assessment system.
Ends/Thursday, December 8, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:28
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