XN000022-1975-02-07 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1975

REVISED DRAFT PLAN FOR WAN CHAI

PERMITS WIDER VARIATIONS OF LAND USE

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PROPERTY DEVELOPERS WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR A WIDER RANGE OF LAND USE VARIATIONS IN WAN

WAN CHAI UNDER THE TOWN

PLANNING BOARD'S REVISED DRAFT PLAN FOR WAN CHAI AREA PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GAZETTE.

WHILE THE REVISED PLAN DOES NOT PROPOSE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE ZONED USE OF LAND IN WAN CHAI, IT COMPRISES A REVISED SET OF NOTES WHICH LAY DOWN USES THAT MAY BE AUTOMATICALLY PERMITTED IN A SPECIFIC ZONE, AND OTHER USES WHICH MAY BE PERMITTED ON APPLICATION TO THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD.

THE NEW NOTES IN THE DRAFT PLAN ALLOW FOR SPECIFIC DEPARTURES FROM ALL ZONED USES ON THE PLAN. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE RESIDENTIAL ZONE THERE IS NOW PROVISION FOR SUCH USES AS OFFICES, HOTELS AND PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT IF ACCEPTABLE TO THE BOARD.

THE BOARD ALSO PROVIDES IN THE NOTES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL USES IN GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTION AND COMMUNITY AND OPEN SPACES ZONES. THIS IS TO ALLOW GREATER FLEXIBILITY WHERE DEVELOPERS EXPRESS AN INTEREST IN UNDERTAKING COMPOSITE PROJECTS ON LAND ZONED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES WHILE DEVOTING ADEQUATE SPACE WITHIN SUCH PROJECTS FOR GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTION OR COMMUNITY USE.

THE INCLUSION OF THE NEW NOTES IN THE DRAFT PLAN FOR WANCHA I AREA WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ENACTMENT OF THE TOWN PLANNING AMENDMENT AND VALIDATION ORDINANCE LAST AUGUST.

UNDER THIS LEGISLATION, THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD IS ALLOWED FOR THE FIRST TIME TO GRANT PERMISSION FOR USE OF LAND NOT STRICTLY IN COMPLIANCE BUT COMPATIBLE WITH THAT SHOWN ON STATUTORY PLANS, IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE BOARD FEELS THAT DEPARTURES MAY BE AUTHORISED AND WHERE THE NOTES PROVIDE FOR THE GRANT OF PERMISSION.

ALTHOUGH THE ORDINANCE PROVIDES FOR THE BOARD TO AMEND PLANS SO AS TO INCLUDE THE NEW NOTES WITHOUT OPENING THE PLANS FOR PUBLIC OBJECTION, THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD HAS DECIDED TO ALLOW OBJECTION TO THESE NOTES IN THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE PROVISION OF NOTES WILL BE EXTENDED PROGRESSIVELY TO OTHER STATUTORY PLANS. IN THE COMING MONTHS, THE BOARD WILL BE REVISING ALL DRAFT AND APPROVED PLANS IN THE SAME MANNER.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 'USES LISTED IN THE SECOND OR PERMISSIVE+ COLUMN OF THE NOTES IN THE WAN CHAI DRAFT PLAN SHOULD BE MADE TO THE SECRETARY, TOWN PLANNING BOARD, ON APPROVED APPLICATION FORMS. COPIES OF THESE FORMS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE TOWN PLANNING OFFICE AT MURRAY BUILDING, GARDEN ROAD.

THE PUBLIC SHOULD NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED FOR USES SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE SECOND COLUMN OF THE NOTES.

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