â€‹The Town Planning Board announced today (January 18) that the Chief Executive in Council has referred the approved Wang Tau Hom and Tung Tau Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) to the Board for amendment to reflect the latest land use proposals.
      
     The OZP incorporating the respective amendments will be exhibited for public inspection under the provisions of the Town Planning Ordinance.
      
     The Wang Tau Hom and Tung Tau OZP was last approved by the Chief Executive in Council in October 2011.

The following is issued on behalf of the Road Safety Council:

     The Road Safety Council (RSC) and Kowloon East Traffic Headquarters of the Hong Kong Police Force will jointly hold Join Hands for Road Safety cum Sau Mau Ping Road Safety Town Open Day at 10am tomorrow (January 19) in Sau Mau Ping Road Safety Town. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

     Highlights will include game booths, a magic show by the Po Leung Kuk Vicwood K T Chong Neighbourhood Elderly Centre, a singing performance by Shin Yat Tong On Yat Kindergarten and a drama performance by Hong Kong Kindergarten Association Pre-School.

     The ceremony will be officiated by the Chairlady of the Road Safety Campaign Committee of the RSC, Ms Rebecca Ma; the Acting Regional Commander of Kowloon East Region of the Hong Kong Police Force, Mr James Betts; Senior Superintendent of Police of Traffic Kowloon East of the Hong Kong Police Force Mr Thomas Yu; the Chairlady of the Traffic and Transport Committee of the Kwun Tong District Council, Ms So Lai-chun; the Kowloon East Regional Commander of the Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol, Mr Samson Chu; and the Sau Mau Ping Regional Commander of the Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol, Ms Sophia Lee.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (January 18) released the latest grading of water quality of four gazetted beaches which are open all year round for swimming.  
   
Four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:       

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. Latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

     At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau will lead a delegation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government to visit Sichuan and Beijing from January 21 to 25 under the annual reciprocal visit arrangement between the HKSAR Government and the MFA. The visit arrangement has been in place since 1999 to enhance communication and exchange between the two sides.

     The Permanent Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Roy Tang, will lead the HKSAR Government delegation to visit Sichuan from January 21 to 23, and the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, will lead the delegation to visit Beijing from January 23 to 25.

     While in Sichuan, the delegation will meet with officials of Sichuan and Chengdu and tour various developments of the province from January 21 to 23. It will then visit Beijing from January 23 to 25, where it will meet with officials of the MFA and other central ministries and departments.

     Mr Nip will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on January 25. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Andy Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs.

     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Ma Tau Kok Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment in the Ma Tau Kok area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (January 18).
      
     The planning scheme area, covering about 139 hectares of land, is located in Central Kowloon within Kowloon City District. It is bounded by Tung Tau Tsuen Road and Tung Tsing Road to the north; To Kwa Wan Road and Yuk Yat Street to the east; Ngan Hon Street and San Lau Street to the south; and Tin Kwong Road to the west.
      
     Most of the existing private and public residential developments in the area fall within the "Residential (Group A)" zone (about 44.92 hectares). Three existing public housing estates, namely Ma Tau Wai Estate, Chun Seen Mei Chuen and Lok Man Sun Chuen, are located in the central and southern part of the area. The Government land at the junction of Sung Wong Toi Road and To Kwa Wan Road, and a site at Ko Shan Road are planned for public housing developments. Medium-density private residential developments located along Argyle Street, Prince Edward Road West and Grampian Road are zoned "Residential (Group B)" (about 8.93 hectares).
      
     To encourage the phasing out of existing industrial uses through redevelopment (or conversion) for residential use, seven industrial sites at Yuk Yat Street, Chi Kiang Street, Sheung Heung Road and To Kwa Wan Road are zoned "Residential (Group E)" (about 3.2 hectares).
      
     Four sites bounded by Sung Wong Toi Road, Kowloon City Road, Ma Tau Kok Road and To Kwa Wan Road are zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" (about 5.05 hectares) to facilitate comprehensive residential and/or commercial uses with the provision of open space and other supporting facilities, as well as to phase out the existing industrial activities.
      
     To provide land for various Government, institution and community (GIC) facilities to serve the needs of the local residents as well as the general public, about 8.83 hectares of land are zoned "Government, Institution or Community". Major existing GIC facilities include the divisional fire station and ambulance depot at Shing Tak Street, To Kwa Wan Government Complex at Ma Tau Wai Road, Kowloon City Municipal Services Building at Hau Wong Road and the Hong Kong Society for the Blind's factory-cum-sheltered workshop and care and attention home at Mok Cheong Street. A site at Lung Kong Road will be redeveloped as a welfare complex.
      
     To provide land for both active and passive recreational uses, about 21.84 hectares of land are zoned "Open Space". Major open spaces include the Kowloon Walled City Park, Carpenter Road Park, To Kwa Wan Recreation Ground, Sung Wong Toi Garden, Ma Tau Wai Road Playground, Ko Shan Road Park and Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground.
      
     About 0.4 hectares of land is zoned "Commercial" to provide for commercial developments to serve the area. The "Other Specified Uses" zones (about 1.46 hectares) are allocated for specific uses including the commercial development with public vehicle park at Carpenter Road, and the sports and recreation club at Tin Kwong Road.
      
     The approved Ma Tau Kok OZP No. S/K10/24 is 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 Kowloon District Planning Office and the Kowloon City District Office.
      
     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at 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).