The Town Planning Board (TPB) announced that it has agreed to the draft outline zoning plans (OZP) in relation to the San Tin Technopole, Mai Po & Fairview Park and Ngau Tam Mei.

After hearing the oral submissions of about 160 representers or their representatives and the Government team’s responses in a four-day hearing held in end-June and early-July, and conducting a deliberation on July 19, the TPB has decided to agree to the draft San Tin Technopole OZP, the draft Mai Po and Fairview Park OZP and the draft Ngau Tam Mei OZP, and to adopt some suggestions from the representers.

The TPB acknowledged that most representers support the information and technology (I&T) development at the technopole while some have differing views on the need to fill the ponds for some I&T land.

A majority of the TPB members concurred that from the perspective of Northern Metropolis development, the technopole is strategically located near the Loop and the Shenzhen I&T Zone, which can create a synergy effect. Owing to geographical constraints and the need for the technopole to be of considerable scale to achieve a cluster effect, pond-filling in a reasonable manner is necessary for the provision of I&T land.

The members also noted that the Environmental Impact Assessment report was approved by the Director of Environmental Protection in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance. Relevant government departments have to comply with the approval conditions to achieve a balance between development and conservation.

Moreover, to compensate for the ecological loss due to pond-filling and to take forward an active conservation policy, the Government will construct a 338-hectare Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park (SPS WCP) to ensure there is no net loss of the ecological function of the wetlands.

As such, the Government has committed to resume private land for the development of the wetland park and start the pond-filling only after the commencement of the works for the SPS WCP in 2026/27. It will also implement various measures, including the formulation of a Habitat Creation & Management Plan and setting up an Environmental Committee.

The members agreed that while flexibility should be allowed for the I&T sites, detailed planning and appropriate control should be achieved through the Planning & Design Brief (PDB). The Government will prepare the PDB and submit it to the TPB for approval after consultation with relevant stakeholders. 

Apart from stipulating the planning, engineering and urban design requirements for individual I&T sites, the PDB will also cover a number of aspects in response to the representations.

The PDB will be incorporated in the land leases or land grant documents for the I&T sites, requiring the project proponents to prepare Master Plans based on the PDB, which will be subject to approval by a committee under the Development Bureau.

Furthermore, the members agreed to revise the Explanatory Statement of the San Tin Technology OZP to incorporate the requirements of the PDB and to ensure that the Government will maintain communication with affected local villagers, with a view to working out appropriate arrangements.