The Town Planning Board has received Government confirmation that it will be involved in various stages of the West Kowloon Cultural District's planning.

With the Government's reassurance, the board today confirmed that a two-stage plan-making approach should be adopted. It also endorsed a revised Explanatory Statement for the draft South West Kowloon Outline Zoning Plan.

The first stage is to reflect the planning intention of developing the site into an integrated arts and cultural district while at the same time allowing a sufficient degree of design flexibility for the proponents to come up with the best proposals.

The second stage is to incorporate into the zoning plan the agreed development parameters of the selected scheme for public inspection and comment.

After submissions close, the Government will brief the board on the general progress, including the number of proposals received.

This will be followed by the submission of the preferred development scheme with its preliminary master plan to the board for consideration and agreement, before it is submitted to the Legislative Council for consultation and to the Executive Council for approval.

After the Executive Council's approval, the Government will enter into a provisional agreement with the successful proponent. It will then submit the agreed development parameters of the selected scheme for incorporation into the zoning plan as amendments for public inspection and comment.

The revised plan will go through the normal plan-making process including objection hearing and further amendments, if necessary, before the submission of the zoning plan to the Executive Council for approval.

The project agreement will only be finalised and executed after completion of the statutory planning procedures. Any subsequent changes to the stipulated development parameters of the project will require the board's approval and will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Town Planning Ordinance.

The current zoning plan can be regarded as an interim one to provide the necessary flexibility at the project conception stage. There is no question of bypassing the board as it will be involved at various key stages of the planning process.

The public will have an opportunity to scrutinise the plan again at the second stage and all statutory planning procedures will be completed in accordance with the Town Planning Ordinance before the final agreement for the project is executed.

For details of the Explanatory Statement of the South West Kowloon Outline Zoning Plan, visit the board's website.