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In response to an accusation as reported by media today (June 14) that the developer of Sha Lo Tung (SLT) project would be granted to use the government site free of charge, a Government spokesman made the following statement:
The SLT project is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project under the New Nature Conservation Policy promulgated by the Government in 2004. The PPP enhances conservation of ecologically important sites in private ownership. Through co-operation with the landowners, the conservation work on ecologically important sites, which are in private ownership, could be carried out.
Regarding the PPP project in SLT, the allegation that the project proponent will be granted government land free of charge and the project involves transfer of benefits are totally unfounded.
In the meetings with the Hong Kong Countryside Foundation including the relevant parties earlier, the Administration had made clear to the Foundation that the proponent of the SLT project still had to go through the statutory town planning process under the Town Planning Ordinance (TPO) and relevant land approval process, and meet respective requirements and application procedures, apart from the environmental impact assessment procedures under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO). Both the statutory procedures under the EIAO and the TPO are open, transparent and fair, and mechanisms are well in place to collect and consider public's views on the project.
In case the SLT project obtains relevant statutory approvals (e.g. approvals under EIAO, TPO), the project proponent has to submit to the Lands Department an application concerning the land use arrangement. The Lands Department will consider the application in its capacity as landlord. Any land arrangement, if approved, will be subject to restrictions as stipulated in the land lease conditions and relevant details, including a payment on a land premium as assessed by the Administration. Until now, the Lands Department has not received any relevant application and thus the allegation of transfer of benefits is not substantiated.
At present, the project proponent has completed the environmental impact assessment report, which is undergoing the statutory process under the EIAO for public inspection. Members of the public may submit their views on or before June 19. The Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE) will also consider the report and make recommendations to the Director of Environmental Protection. Just as in the past, the Environmental Protection Department will consider thoroughly the views of members of the public and the ACE, as well as all the requirements of the EIAO, its technical memorandum and study brief before making a decision on either approving or rejecting the environmental impact assessment report.
Ends/Thursday, June 14, 2012
Issued at HKT 21:49
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