Plot ratios and building-height restrictions have been imposed on about 90 hectares of land earmarked for residential developments in the Peak area, the Town Planning Board says today.

Eighty-two hectares is restricted to a plot ratio of up to 0.5, to keep development intensity to a level with which the existing road system can cope and to maintain the area's existing character and amenity. Building-height caps are imposed to preserve public views and the Peak ridgeline.

An eight-hectare zone covering some housing developments at Stubbs Road and Wong Nai Chung Gap Road is intended primarily for medium-density residences and also subject to plot-ratio and building-height restrictions. Commercial uses may be permitted there on application to the board.

Commercial developments occupy 0.5 hectare - including some areas at the southern end of Guildford Road, at 100 Peak Road, and an area covering the Peak Tower - for offices, shops, services, and entertainment and eating places.

About 14 hectares will provide Government, institution or community facilities, including schools, hospitals, service reservoirs, a police station, a fire station and radio communication stations.

12ha zoned open space

Twelve hectares is zoned open space. Existing major open spaces include the Victoria Peak Garden at Mount Austin Road and the Mount Austin Playground. About 528 hectares covers the portion of Aberdeen Country Park and Pok Fu Lam Country Park at the southern and western parts of the Peak area.

Sites allocated for specific uses cover about 1.8 hectares. They include the two petrol-filling stations at Wong Nai Chung Gap Road and Peak Road, the Peak Galleria site at Peak Road, and the King Yin Lei site at Stubbs Road.

The zoning of declared monument King Yin Lei and related building structures and garden is annotated 'historical building preserved for cultural, community and commercial uses' to facilitate its in-situ preservation and adaptive re-use.

The 228-hectare undeveloped hillslopes is zoned a green belt, forming a visually and aesthetically pleasant background of the Peak area and conserving the existing natural environment amid the built-up areas at the urban fringe. There is a general presumption against development within this zone.

View the approved Peak area outline zoning plan on the board's website.