The Chief Executive-in-Council has approved the draft Tung Chung Town Centre Area Outline Zoning Plan, with 36 hectares zoned for residential development and 55.8 hectares set for open recreational space.

The plan provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment of Tung Chung Town Centre, the Town Planning Board said.

Covering 252 hectares, the zone is located on the northshore of Lantau Island, and southeast of Hong Kong International Airport.

About 22.9 hectares is zoned "Comprehensive Development Area". Thirty-six hectares is zoned "Residential (Group A)" for high-density housing developments. The "Village Type Development" zone, taking about 5.4 hectares, covers Shan Ha Village and its expansion area, and the village resite area at Pa Mei North.

A site near the Tung Chung MTR station and another adjacent to the proposed waterfront pier are zoned "Commercial". Totalling 2.2 hectares, the sites will provide land for office, retail and other commercial developments to serve the town centre.

About 17.7 hectares is zoned "Government, Institution or Community". A nursery and kindergarten will be provided within public housing estates and private residential developments.

Green belt

About 0.6 of a hectare in the Town Centre is zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Cable Car Terminal & Related Commercial Development", while another 2.1 hectares has been zoned for railway ventilation and other plants associated with the Tung Chung MTR station, a sewage pumping station, ferry pier, petrol stations and traction station-cum-portal.

The foothills on the southern fringe of the area, 47.1 hectares, are zoned "Green Belt" to preserve the natural environment.

The approved plan (No.S/I-TCTC/14) is available for inspection at the Town Planning Board secretariat, the Planning Enquiry Counters in North Point and Sha Tin, the Lantau & Islands District Planning Office, the Islands District Office and its Mui Wo and Tung Chung Sub-offices and the Tung Chung Rural Committee.

Copies are on sale at Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version can be viewed on the board's website.