The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Ma On Shan Outline Zoning Plan, with about half of the 814 hectares covering mainly hill slopes and wooded knolls zoned Green Belt for defining the limits of urban and sub-urban development area.

The Planning Scheme Area is located in the eastern New Territories along the southern shore of Tolo Harbour.

To the south and east, it is bounded by the Ma On Shan Country Park, and to the north and west by Tolo Harbour and Sha Tin Hoi (Tide Cove).

Part of Sha Tin New Town, the Ma On Shan area has a large portion of land zoned Residential (Group A), Residential (Group B) and Residential (Group C) which covers about 85.8 hectares, 27.1 hectares and 10.6 hectares.

A total of 36.3 hectares is zoned Comprehensive Development Area, including 23.6 hectares for the Whitehead headland intended for recreational or recreational cum residential development.

Another 12.7 hectares is zoned Comprehensive Development Area (1) near Lok Wo Sha for medium density residential and commercial development to be developed in a comprehensive manner.

About 0.7 hectares on the northern side of Sai Sha Road is zoned Commercial for commercial-office development with a public transport terminus to serve the local population.

Two other sites along Sai Sha Road and another site located to their north-east, with a total area of about 6.8 hectares, are zoned Commercial-Residential for commercial and-or residential development.

30 hectares for villages

To designate land for development of small houses by indigenous villagers, some 30.5 hectares zoned Village Type Development.

To serve the needs of the local as well as district population, 67.2 hectares is zoned Government, Institution or Community. In addition, 41 hectares is zoned Open Space for active and passive recreational use.

Some 12.9 hectares is zoned Other Specified Uses for specific uses which include a railway station and public transport interchange with commercial-residential development, the Ma On Shan Water Treatment Works, three petrol-filling stations, two piers, a proposed hotel development and a site at Nai Chung for educational and recreational development.

An area of 2.5 hectares in Nai Chung is zoned Site of Special Scientific Interest to conserve and protect features of geological interest.

Another 11.9 hectares along the coastal areas in the eastern and western parts of the Whitehead headland, Starfish Bay and To Tau is zoned Conservation Area to protect and retain the existing natural landscape, ecological, topographical or archaeological features of the area.

The approved OZP No.S/MOS/13 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Sha Tin, Tai Po and North District Planning Office, the Sha Tin District Office, and the Sha Tin Rural Committee.

Copies of the approved plan 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 on the Town Planning Board's website.