The Town Planning Board (TPB) gazetted today (September 1) specified periods during which applicants of applications under section 12A (s.12A applications), section 16 (s.16 applications) and section 17 (s.17 reviews) of the Town Planning Ordinance (Cap. 131) may give further information to the TPB to supplement the information included in their applications.
 
     The specified periods as gazetted take immediate effect and are applicable to all s.12A and s.16 applications received on or after September 1, 2023, and s.17 reviews in relation to s.16 applications and applications under section 16A of the Ordinance made on or after September 1, 2023.

     The gazette notice (Annex) is attached to the Town Planning Board Guidelines on Submission of Further Information in Relation to Applications for Amendment of Plan, Planning Permission and Review (TPB PG-No. 32B), which is available at the Secretariat of the TPB at 15/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong (Tel: 2231 4810 or 2231 4835), and the TPB's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     Any enquiries on the above may be addressed to the Secretariat of the TPB at the above address or by email (tpbpd@pland.gov.hk), or to the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department (hotline: 2231 5000; email: enquire@pland.gov.hk) at 17/F, North Point Government Offices, and 14/F, Sha Tin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road, Sha Tin.

     The Government today (September 1) announced the appointments to the new term of the Country and Marine Parks Board (CMPB) for a period of two years with effect from today.

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) expressed gratitude to the outgoing members, Ms Brenda Chan Kwai-fun, Dr Lewis Cheung Ting-on, Professor He Shenjing, Mr Teddy Law Wing-fai, Dr Amelia Lee Nam-yuk, Mr Charles Lee Yee-keung, Mr Ken So Kwok-yin and Ms Yip Yan-yan, for their valuable contributions to the CMPB during their tenure.  

     In accordance with the Country Parks Ordinance (Cap. 208) and the Marine Parks Ordinance (Cap. 476), the CMPB shall consider and advise the Country and Marine Parks Authority on the policy and programmes in respect of country parks and special areas, as well as marine parks and marine reserves.

     The membership list for the new term is as follows:
 
Chairman
————————
Professor Ling Kar-kan

Non-official members
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Mr Cheung Siu-keung
Dr Apple Chui Pui-yi
Miss Natalie Chung Sum-yue*
Professor Desmond Hui Cheuk-kuen
Dr Jeffrey Hung Oi-shing*
Dr Caroline Law Man-yee
Mr Ian Leung Kin-wai
Professor Li Xin*
Mr Lo Pui-lam
Dr Angie Ng Ying-sim*
Professor Qiu Jian-wen
Mr Shum Si-ki*
Mr Alex Wong Lap-kei
Mr Henry Yau Yik-chung
Mr Yu Hon-kwan
Ms Vriko Yu Pik-fan

* New appointee

Official members
——————-

• Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation (ex-officio)
• Deputy Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation with Assistant Director (Country Parks) or Assistant Director (Fisheries and Marine Conservation) as alternate member
• Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment) with Principal Assistant Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Nature Conservation) as alternate member
• Director of Home Affairs with Deputy Director (1) or Assistant Director (2) as alternate member
• Director of Lands with Assistant Director (Specialist 2) as alternate member
• Director of Leisure and Cultural Services with Assistant Director (Leisure Services) 3 as alternate member
• Director of Marine with Assistant Director (Port Control) as alternate member
• Director of Planning with Assistant Director (New Territories) as alternate member
• Director of Water Supplies with Assistant Director (Development) as alternate member

The following is issued on behalf of the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Council:

     The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Council today (September 1) reminded interested applicants that applications for its Fellowships and Scholarships for Overseas Studies (including the award for students with disabilities) for the 2024/25 academic year will close next Friday (September 8).

     The fellowships and scholarships aim at encouraging outstanding students to pursue further studies in reputable institutions overseas. Successful candidates are expected to have a strong sense of commitment to Hong Kong and be ready to contribute significantly to the community upon graduation.

     The fellowships are for studies leading to postgraduate degrees either by research or by coursework. The maximum value of a fellowship is HK$300,000 per year, tenable for up to three years for a doctoral degree or two years for a master's degree. The scholarships are for studies leading to undergraduate degrees. The maximum value of a scholarship is HK$280,000 per year, tenable for up to three years.

     The applicants will be responsible for fulfilling all application procedures and admission requirements of the academic institutions of their choice.

     Information notes for the applications are available on the website of the Student Finance Office of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency (www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/sfo/en/forms/form.htm). Applicants should submit the completed form through the GovHK website (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/sfo031/en/). For details, please visit the website of the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund (www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/sfo/seymf/en/whatwedo/index.htm), or call (852) 2150 6097 or (852) 2150 6110.

     Shortlisted applicants of the Fellowships and Scholarships for Overseas Studies will be invited to attend interviews in Hong Kong. The first round of interviews is scheduled for January 2024. If found suitable, applicants will be invited for a final interview to be held in February or March 2024. For the Overseas Fellowship/Scholarship for Disabled Students, shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview in Hong Kong in February or March 2024.

     The fourth phase of the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MEELS) takes effect today (September 1), extending the coverage to light emitting diode (LED) lamps, gas cookers and gas instantaneous water heaters. The fourth phase of the MEELS will be fully implemented on December 1 next year, with a transitional period of 15 months.

     The energy labels classify energy performance into five grades. Products with a Grade 1 energy label are the most energy-efficient. With this concise and easy-to-understand label, consumers can make informed decisions in purchasing more energy-efficient products.

     Upon inclusion of the aforementioned three types of products in the fourth phase of the MEELS, the potential annual energy saving will be around 570 terajoules (around 160 million kilowatt-hours), which is equivalent to the reduction of about 75 000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. Together with the eight types of products covered in the first three phases, the total energy consumption in the residential sector covered by the MEELS will substantially increase from about 50 per cent to about 80 per cent.

     To dovetail with the implementation of the fourth phase of the MEELS, the 2023 edition of the Code of Practice on Energy Labelling of Products (CoP) takes effect today.

     For more details of the CoP, please visit the EMSD's website (www.emsd.gov.hk/energylabel).

     â€‹The Development (Town Planning, Lands and Works) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2023 takes effect today (September 1).
      
     The Ordinance, which was passed by the Legislative Council in July this year, covers six pieces of primary legislation. The legislative exercise streamlines various development-related statutory procedures including town planning, land resumption, reclamation, roads and railway works, etc, and introduces a number of measures to expedite the development process, such as simplifying procedures relating to plan-making under the Town Planning Ordinance to shorten the planning process, and offering compensation or assistance early to the affected parties to respond to their aspirations for receiving the same early so that the resumption and clearance procedures could be accelerated.
      
     Streamlining the statutory procedures could reduce the time required for turning a piece of "primitive land" into "spade-ready sites" (i.e. sites with formation works completed and ready for construction therein), benefitting various development projects, including the Northern Metropolis and Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands.
      
     In preparation for the commencement of the Ordinance, the Town Planning Board has updated its procedures and guidelines, while relevant departments have also prepared the pertinent administrative guidelines and technical circulars. These guidelines can be accessed on the websites of relevant departments.