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The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Ma On Shan Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use framework to guide the development and redevelopment in the Ma On Shan area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (January 15).
The planning scheme area, covering about 814 hectares of land, is located in the eastern New Territories along the southern shore of Tolo Harbour. To the south and east, it is bounded by Ma On Shan Country Park, and to the north and west by Tolo Harbour and Sha Tin Hoi (Tide Cove) respectively.
To meet public aspirations for clearer planning control on the development intensity and building height of the urban areas, building height and/or plot ratio/gross floor area restrictions have been incorporated into most of the development zones. In view of the topography of the Ma On Shan area, different height bands are proposed to rise progressively from the waterfront to the inland area and to fall progressively from the town centre and the western and eastern gateway nodes to respect the distinct urban form of the new town.
To improve the air ventilation of the Ma On Shan area, three strips of "non-building areas" and three strips of land subject to a maximum building height restriction of two storeys have also been designated.
As part of Sha Tin New Town, a large portion of the Ma On Shan area is zoned "Residential (Group A)", "Residential (Group B)" and "Residential (Group C)" covering about 84.7 hectares, 20.8 hectares and 11.1 hectares of land respectively.
A total of 18.9 hectares of land is zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" ("CDA"), including two sites (3.8 hectares and 2.4 hectares respectively) at the southern part of the Whitehead headland intended for comprehensive residential developments. Another 12.7 hectares of land is zoned "CDA(1)" near Lok Wo Sha for medium-density residential and commercial development to be developed in a comprehensive manner.
About 15 hectares of land at the northern part of the Whitehead headland is zoned "Recreation" for comprehensive recreational developments for the use of the general public.
About 0.5 hectares of land on the northern side of Sai Sha Road is zoned "Commercial" for commercial development to serve the local population.
To designate land for development of Small Houses by indigenous villagers, some 30.9 hectares of land is zoned "Village Type Development".
To serve the needs of the local as well as the district population, a total of 63.8 hectares of land is zoned "Government, Institution or Community". Major existing government, institution or community facilities include Wu Kai Sha Youth Village, Li Po Chun United World College, a holiday centre for the elderly and a regional police headquarters.
In addition, a total of 38.7 hectares of land is zoned "Open Space" for active and passive recreational uses.
Some 13 hectares of land is zoned "Other Specified Uses" for specific uses which include a railway station and a public transport interchange with a commercial/residential development, Ma On Shan Water Treatment Works, three petrol filling stations, two piers, a hotel development, a site at Nai Chung for educational and recreational development and a pedestrian link with retail facilities connecting the public housing developments on both sides of Ma On Shan Road.
An area of 2.5 hectares in Nai Chung is zoned "Site of Special Scientific Interest" to conserve and protect features of geological interest.
Another 11.9 hectares along the coastal areas in the eastern and western parts of the Whitehead headland, Starfish Bay and To Tau are zoned "Conservation Area" to protect and retain the existing natural landscape, ecological, topographical or archaeological features of the area.
About 404.5 hectares of land covering mainly hill slopes and wooded knolls is zoned "Green Belt" for defining the limits of urban and sub-urban development areas.
A site of 0.6 hectares located along Sai Sha Road which is currently the Nai Chung Barbecue Site is zoned "Country Park" and forms part of Ma On Shan Country Park.
The approved Ma On Shan OZP No. S/MOS/22 is now available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the Board; the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin; the Sha Tin, Tai Po and North District Planning Office; the Sha Tin District Office (including the Ma On Shan Sub-office); the Sha Tin Rural Committee; the Tai Po District Office; the Tai Po Rural Committee; and the Sai Kung North Rural Committee.
Copies of the approved OZP 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 at the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Ends/Friday, January 15, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:04
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