​The Town Planning Board today (August 27) announced the publication of the draft Mui Wo North Outline Zoning Plan (OZP). The new draft Mui Wo North OZP replaces the draft Mui Wo North Development Permission Area (DPA) Plan published on January 8 this year.
The planning scheme area, covering a total area of about 165.37 hectares, is bounded by Lantau North (Extension) Country Park and Lantau North Country Park to the north, Mui Wo fringe area to the west, Mui Wo town centre to the southwest, and Silver Mine Bay to the south. The area comprises village settlements, woodlands, shrublands, grasslands, coastal uplands, vegetated hills, streams, marshes, mangroves, beaches, coastline, agricultural land and more. The area is not served by vehicular access.
A spokesman for the Town Planning Board said that the general planning intention of the area is to conserve its landscape and ecological value in safeguarding the natural habitats and to maintain the unique natural and rural character and cultural heritage of the area. Low-impact leisure and recreational uses compatible with the rural setting will be encouraged where appropriate. Land is also designated for village development. In designation of various zones in the area, consideration has been given to protect the natural habitats in the area such as the woodland areas which form a continuous stretch of well-established vegetation with those located in the adjoining Lantau North (Extension) and Lantau North Country Parks and natural streams.
About 0.60 hectares are zoned "Commercial". This zone is intended primarily for commercial developments, which may include hotel, shop, services, place of entertainment and eating place, serving the immediate neighbourhood and visitors. It mainly covers three commercial developments, comprising two existing hotels (Seaview Holiday Resort and Mui Wo Inn) at the back of Silver Mine Bay Beach and a resort-type development under construction along Tung Wan Tau Road.
About 0.15 hectares are zoned "Residential (Group C)". This zone is intended primarily for low-rise, low-density residential developments. Three existing domestic developments located to the west of Mang Tong, along Tung Wan Tau Road and to the southeast of Tung Wan Tau are under this zone.
About 4.55 hectares are zoned "Village Type Development". This zone is intended to reflect existing recognised and other villages, and to provide land considered suitable for village expansion. It covers three recognised villages, namely Mang Tong, Tung Wan Tau and Man Kok Tsui, and the village clusters along Tung Wan Tau Road and in Chung Hau.
About 0.04 hectares are zoned "Government, Institution or Community". This zone is intended primarily for the provision of government, institution or community facilities serving the needs of the local residents and/or a wider district, region or the territory. It covers an existing refuse collection point located in the southern part of Mang Tong, an existing Catholic church to the southwest of Mang Tong, the existing Tung Wan Tau Public Toilet to the southwest of Tung Wan Tau and a planned fresh water pump house along Tung Wan Tau Road.
About 2.41 hectares are zoned "Open Space". This zone is intended primarily for the provision of outdoor open-air public space for active and/or passive recreational uses serving the needs of local residents as well as the general public. It mainly covers a gazetted public bathing beach at Silver Mine Bay including beach buildings and associated beach facilities. It also covers Tung Wan Tau Road, some existing beach-supporting shops and eating places, and the beach areas adjacent to the gazetted beach along Tung Wan Tau Road.
About 3.11 hectares are zoned "Recreation". This zone is intended primarily for recreational developments for the use of the general public. It mainly covers the Hong Kong Playground Association Jockey Club Silvermine Bay Camp and the Methodist Retreat Centre.
About 0.02 hectares are zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Pier". This zone is intended to designate land for a pier to facilitate marine access to the area. It covers a pier in Man Kok.
About 3.78 hectares are zoned "Agriculture". This zone is intended primarily to retain and safeguard good quality agricultural land/farms/fish ponds for agricultural purposes. It is also intended to retain fallow arable land with good potential for rehabilitation for cultivation and other agricultural purposes. It mainly covers clusters of active and abandoned agricultural land in the vicinity of villages.
About 147.29 hectares are zoned "Green Belt". This zone is intended primarily for defining the limits of urban and sub-urban development areas by natural features and to contain urban sprawl as well as to provide passive recreational outlets. It mainly covers woodlands, shrublands, grasslands, coastal uplands, vegetated hills, streams, marshes, and mangroves adjoining Lantau North (Extension) Country Park and Lantau North Country Park. It also covers some scattered agricultural land that is mostly abandoned.
About 3.42 hectares are zoned "Coastal Protection Area". This zone is intended to conserve, protect and retain the natural coastlines and the sensitive coastal natural environment, including attractive geological features, physical landform or area of high landscape, scenic or ecological value, with a minimum of built development. It mainly covers the natural coastline along the southern and eastern peripheries of the area from Tung Wan Tau to Man Kok, which comprises coastal features including flat rock and beach.
As the draft Mui Wo North DPA Plan has now been replaced by the draft Mui Wo North OZP, the draft DPA Plan ceases to be effective (except for the provisions related to the existing use and unauthorized development). The representations received in respect of the draft DPA Plan will not be further processed.
The draft Mui Wo North OZP is now available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin, (iii) the Sai Kung and Islands District Planning Office, (iv) the Islands District Office and (v) the Mui Wo Rural Committee.
Any person may make written representations in respect of the draft OZP to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before October 27. Any person who intends to make a representation is advised to read the Town Planning Board Guidelines No. 29B on "Submission and Publication of Representations, Comments on Representations and Further Representations under the Town Planning Ordinance" (TPB PG-No. 29B).
Submission of a representation should comply with the requirements set out in TPB PG-No. 29B. In particular, the representer should take note of the following:
* If the representer fails to provide his or her full name and the first four alphanumeric characters of his or her Hong Kong identity card or passport number as required under TPB PG-No. 29B, the representation submitted shall be treated as not having been made; and
* The Secretariat of the Town Planning Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.
The Guidelines and the submission form are available at the above locations (i) and (ii) and the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Copies of the draft Mui Wo North 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).
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