LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
The review has identified two major directions of growth in Hong Kong. First, there is the east to west development axis, comprising the new port and airport facilities on North Lantau and the Western Harbour, plus the Metroplan proposals in the downtown area.
Second, with the rapid development along the east bank of the Pearl River and the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, a southeast to northwest development axis from Hong Kong to Guangzhou is also gradually emerging.
Based on the broad development scenarios and directions of growth, six development options have been formulated on the basis of varying rates of economic growth, varying demand and supply of land for different uses, and varying roles of the public and private sectors as development agents.
The third stream of the TDS review will consist of the production of a recommended development strategy and a medium-term implementation plan. The TDS review is expected to be completed in 1994.
Sub-regional Development Strategies
The Sub-regional Development Strategies serve as a bridge between the TDS and district plans. They translate long-term, broad-brush territorial goals into district planning objectives for the five sub-regions of Hong Kong the Metro area, Northeast New Territories (NENT), Southeast New Territories (SENT), Northwest New Territories (NWNT) and Southwest New Territories (SWNT).
The Metroplan Selected Strategy was approved by the Governor-in-Council in 1991 to provide a planning framework for public and private sector development. Rather than a programme by itself, it is a conceptual strategy for developing and upgrading the Metro sub-region, including Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing.
To follow up the Metroplan recommendations, work has started, with input from consultants, on a series of development statements for districts including West Kowloon, Southeast Kowloon (including the Hong Kong International Airport site), Tsuen Wan-Kwai Tsing, and Hong Kong Island West. A consultancy study has also been undertaken to establish the appropriate institutional framework and map out a coherent strategy to restructure and upgrade the obsolete industrial areas in the Metro sub-region. The first three studies were largely completed in 1993. The preparation of the Hong Kong Island West Development Statement, which commenced in late 1993, is expected to be completed in 1994.
Following the government's decision in 1989 on the Port and Airport Development Strategy (PADS), work on the review for the NWNT and SWNT sub-regions commenced in early 1990. Each of these reviews aims at producing for the sub-region an appropriate strategic development framework on land use, transport and the environment for the target year 2011.
An Interim Recommended Strategy on the NWNT Development Strategy is being formulated after examining the various development options. Strategic growth areas have also been identified. However, a recommended strategy cannot be finalised until the recommendations of the other territorial studies, such as the TDS, are ready. In the interim, existing Development Permission Area (DPA) Plans are required to be replaced by Outline Zoning Plans (ÖZPs) under the Town Planning (Amendment) Ordinance 1991. In
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