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The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Wan Chai North Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use framework to guide development and redevelopment in the Wan Chai North area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 28).
The Planning Scheme Area covers an area of about 55.17 hectares, of which about 5.7 hectares are to be reclaimed. It is bounded by Hing Fat Street to the east, Victoria Park Road and Gloucester Road to the south, and Fenwick Pier Street to the west. It includes the existing Wan Chai area to the north of Gloucester Road and Island Eastern Corridor and the proposed reclamation area to the north of the existing seawall.
The extent of the reclamation has been determined by the minimum extent required for providing the essential transport infrastructure, namely the Central-Wan Chai Bypass (CWB) and associated road connections, and for re-provisioning the affected facilities. Other than meeting infrastructure needs, harbourfront enhancement will be the main use on the land formed for the construction of the CWB.
The area also covers the existing built-up area comprising commercial and office developments, art and cultural developments, government office buildings and government, institution or community (GIC) facilities.
About 3.23 hectares of land are zoned "Commercial" to reflect the existing commercial / office developments along Harbour Road.
About 1.65 hectares of land are zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" for a comprehensive development at the proposed Exhibition Station site of the Shatin to Central Link (SCL), which is primarily for convention and meeting facilities and other commercial related uses above the station, together with railway station facilities, a public transport interchange and other supporting facilities at the ground level.
About 9.6 hectares of land are zoned "Government, Institution or Community" for the provision of GIC facilities serving the needs of the local residents and/or a wider district, region or the territory.
About 8.75 hectares of land are zoned "Open Space", which covers the major existing open spaces in the area and the proposed waterfront promenade. A coherent open space network is envisaged, which will be integrated with the pedestrian links to provide physical and visual access to the harbour-front.
About 15.29 hectares of land are zoned "Other Specified Uses" for uses including exhibition centre with commercial development, exhibition centre, public waterfront promenade and water recreation related uses, sports and recreation club, waterfront related commercial and leisure uses, amenity area, cross harbour tunnel vent shaft, landscaped elevated walkway, helipad, petrol filling station, pier, railway ventilation building and CWB exhaust vent.
The remaining parts of the area are shown as "Road" (about 16.65 hectares).
The approved Wan Chai North OZP No. S/H25/4 is available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin, the Hong Kong District Planning Office, the Wan Chai District Office and the Eastern District Office.
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 Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Ends/Friday, February 28, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:00
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