The Development Bureau today said it supported the Planning Department's proposal to temporarily rezone the proposed public housing site east of Fan Kam Road in the Fanling Golf Course to "Undetermined”.

The department submitted a paper to the Town Planning Board outlining its support, so that other relevant departments can follow up on the conditions attached to the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report earlier on the rezoning issue.

About 9.54 hectares of land on the draft Fanling/Sheung Shui Extension Area Outline Zoning Plan published last year was zoned as "Residential (Group A)" primarily for high density public housing development, with a plot ratio of seven and a building height restriction of 170m above the Principal Datum.

In view of the conditions attached to the approval of the EIA report last month, these development parameters will have to be adjusted, the bureau said, adding that the magnitude of adjustment is subject to the findings of the Civil Engineering & Development Department's review later and the Planning Department's approval.

Since the follow-up review and approval by the Planning Department will take time, it will not be appropriate to retain the current "Residential (Group A)" zoning with the high density development parameters on the draft plan to be submitted to the Executive Council by the statutory deadline of end-November and the bureau considered it prudent to rezone the site to "Undetermined” as a stopgap arrangement.

Once the Town Planning Board completes discussion of the draft plan in end-November, the review will start immediately and is estimated to take about 12 months to complete, the statement said.

Review outcomes are expected to be available around end-2024 for submission to the Planning Department for consideration. Subject to approval of the reports, the department will initiate the follow-up statutory planning procedure at the soonest possible time to propose appropriate statutory residential development parameters and corresponding land use zoning for the site, it added.

The bureau noted that the public will then be consulted on the revised rezoning in accordance with the established procedure.

While noting that the turn of events will inevitably affect the scale and timetable of the proposed public housing development, the bureau pointed out that the conditions attached to the approval of the EIA report need to be respected and acted upon with professional and practical advice to be given to the Town Planning Board for follow-up.

Although the site is temporarily rezoned to "Undetermined", the intention to develop public housing thereat is retained and stated in the draft plan's explanatory statement and the temporary rezoning will provide a buffer period to allow the relevant departments to follow up on reviewing the appropriate layout and development parameters, the statement noted.

As for the remaining southern portion of about 21.65 hectares east of Fan Kam Road in Fanling Golf Course, the bureau said the approval of the EIA report has not affected the proposed zoning to "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Conservation & Recreation" on the draft plan.

It emphasised that irrespective of the progress of the town planning process, the short-term tenancy of the entire 32 hectares of land east of Fan Kam Road will expire on August 31 and the Government will take back the land on September 1 as planned.

The Town Planning Board will arrange public hearings for the draft plan from June 12 onwards and after the hearings are completed, it will take into account all representations and opinions as well as the proposal from the Planning Department to decide whether to amend the draft plan.

Click here for the relevant paper.