Page 4 - TPB Report 2018-20_EN

Chairperson’s

Foreword

Hong Kong is facing a pressing demand for land to meet the acute housing demand and changing
social needs, and to sustain economic growth. While trying to optimize the use of scarce land resources
to meet the wide-ranging needs of the community, we also have to be mindful of public aspirations for
quality living environment and sustainable development. It has always been challenging for the Town
Planning Board (the Board) to timely respond to and strike a right balance among the diverse interests.

During the report period from 2018 to 2020, the Board continued to dedicate its efforts to increasing
housing and land supply. It approved the rezoning of about 71 ha of land to facilitate Stages 1 and 2 of
the Yuen Long South Development for provision of about 16,900 public housing flats with supporting
infrastructure and community facilities, and relaxed the plot ratio and building height restrictions of
residential zones in the Kwu Tung North, Fanling North and Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development
Areas to increase the development intensity. Through conducting land use review, a total of 14 sites
were rezoned to residential use in various areas to provide about 16,000 flats, over three quarters

of which were for public housing. The new Siu Ho Wan Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) was published to
guide the development of a new community with public and private housing atop a railway depot in
operation, while opportunity was taken to enhance public accessibility to the waterfront area. The
Board also exercised flexibility to facilitate temporary use of transitional housing in permanent buildings
in urban areas and new towns.

To maintain Hong Kong’s competitiveness as a financial centre and to sustain economic growth, two
ex-government sites at prime locations in Mong Kok and Causeway Bay were rezoned for commercial
use to ensure a continual supply of high-grade office space, and at the same time, to include the
requirement for a range of community facilities within the developments to meet the community needs.
To cater for the growth of innovation and technology industries and to attract quality technology
companies to set up their offices in Hong Kong, areas adjoining Cyberport were rezoned to facilitate
the latter’s expansion project and to enhance an existing waterfront open space with easy accessibility
for public enjoyment.

2 TOWN PLANNING BOARD REPORT 2018-2020