For discussion
RESTRICTED
on 6th September 1977
10
AFK 265
VED IN REGIST
12 SEP 1977
XCR(77)245 Copy No..
32
MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Town Planning Ordinance
(Chapter 131)
PEAK AREA OUTLINE ZONING PLAN
REGISTRY
TJEX
Action Taker
BEL OOK!
3
2
dim
This memorandum seeks Honourable Members' advice as to whether the Outline Zoning Plan for the Peak Area should be approved under section 9(1) of the Town Planning Ordinance (Chapter 131).
Background
The planning area comprises part of the central massif of Hong Kong Island, from the High West extending eastward to Mount Nicholson. The existing development is predominantly residential and is mainly located west of Magazine Gap. Part of the southern hill slope is within a waterworks catchment area. With the exception of two small pockets of commercial development in the neighbourhood of the Peak Tram and Guildford Road, the existing development is largely residential. Because of the scenery and views, very large numbers of people visit the Peak Area on week-ends and public holidays.
During the last ten years there has been an increasing demand for redevelopment of many of the houses, and because many of the leases did not prescribe any limitations on development, it was not always possible to restrict the redevelopment to Zone III in accordance with the approved density zone. In any case it became apparent that redevelop- ment to full Zone III standards would result in a population and a traffic load which the existing roads, particularly the Peak Road/Magazine Gap Road junction, could not bear. Two studies, one on the redevelopment potential of undeveloped lots and one on the potential of the critical Peak Road/Magazine Gap Road junction were prepared in 1971. These studies showed that if redevelopment on existing lots was allowed to exceed a plot ratio of 0.5 the traffic delays during peak hours at the junction would exceed 5 minutes and the queues would extend back to and block the entrance and exit from and to the local feeder roads, such as Barker Road and Guildford Road. As very little in the way of improvement to the junction was possible it was clear that some need for restrictions on development was desirable, Accordingly on 22nd December 1972 the Town Planning Board was directed under section 3 of the Town Planning Ordinance to prepare an Outline Zoning Plan for this area, and advised of the Government's views on the desirability of the inclusion of res- trictions on development within the draft plan.
G.S. 84
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