image_pdfimage_print

Author Archives: hksar gov

Grading of beach water quality released

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (January 14) released the latest grading of water quality for four gazetted beaches that are open all year round for swimming (see Note).

     Four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).

Grade 1 beaches are:

Clear Water Bay Second Beach Golden Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Silverstrand Beach

     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), 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.

     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

Note: In view of the latest situation of COVID-19, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has announced that lifeguard services at these beaches are suspended from January 7 for 14 days until midnight on January 20. read more

East Asia

Draft Ma On Shan Outline Zoning Plan approved

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

     “The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide development in the Ma On Shan area,” a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (January 14).

     The planning scheme area, covering about 814 hectares, is located in the eastern New Territories along the southern shore of Tolo Harbour. It is bounded by the Ma On Shan Country Park in the south and east, Tolo Harbour in the north and Sha Tin Hoi (Tide Cove) in the west.

     The approved OZP has incorporated amendments shown on the draft Ma On Shan OZP No. S/MOS/23, which mainly involved the rezoning of two sites near Cheung Muk Tau Village and a site at the lower end of Ma On Shan Tsuen Road from “Green Belt” (“GB”) to “Residential (Group A)11” for public housing developments. Three other sites along Ma On Shan Tsuen Road are rezoned from “GB” to “Government, Institution or Community” for a water pumping station, a primary school and service reservoirs supporting the proposed housing developments.

     Other amendments include the rezoning of a strip of land abutting Ma On Shan Bypass and to the further west of Cheung Muk Tau Village from “GB” to an area shown as “Road” to reflect the existing as-built condition and a site to the south east of Chevalier Garden from “GB” to “Other Specified Uses” annotated “Sewage Treatment Works” to rationalise the development boundary of the Sha Tin Cavern Sewage Treatment Works.

     Opportunity is also taken to amend the Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP to reflect the above amendments and to update the general information of various land use zonings and the planning circumstances, where appropriate.

     The approved Ma On Shan OZP No. S/MOS/24 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Sha Tin, Tai Po and North District Planning Office, (iv) the Sha Tin and Tai Po District Offices (including the Ma On Shan Sub-office) and (v) the Sha Tin, Tai Po and Sai Kung North Rural Committees.
     â€‹
     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 OZP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board’s website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb). read more

East Asia