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Infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation

A joint planning study on 'Action Plan for the Bay Area of the Pearl River Estuary' commissioned by the Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong Governments to devise a strategic planning framework to enhance the quality of life in the Bay Area is expected to be completed in 2013.

Work is being carried out to set up a boundary control point at Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai in 2018 to strengthen the physical connection between the eastern parts of Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

Major Planning Studies/Planning Reviews

Tung Chung New Town Extension Study

The Planning Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department launched the Tung Chung New Town Extension Study in January to identify Tung Chung's development potential and opportunities. Major infrastructure projects in the areas adjacent to Tung Chung, the need to protect the environment and conserve nature in the surrounding areas, and the public's views on the development will be taken into consideration in formulating a suitable proposal for the new town's extension. About 2,300 written submissions were received in the first stage of public consultation which ended in August 2012. The public's views will be taken into account in the preparation of initial development options and a second stage of public engagement is expected to commence in 2013.

Future Use of Quarry Sites

Studies to examine the future land use of some existing and previous quarry sites, including those at Anderson Road, Cha Kwo Ling and Sok Kwu Wan, commenced in 2011 and 2012, with a view to meeting housing and other development needs.

Environmental and Area Improvement

The Planning Department completed the Urban Climatic Map and Standards for Wind Environment Feasibility Study in 2012 to examine the urban climatic characteristics of the territory and to identify suitable planning and urban design measures to help mitigate the Urban Heat Island effect.

Land Sale Arrangement

The Government's policy is to ensure sufficient land supply and provide good quality infrastructure to maintain a fair and stable environment for the healthy and sustainable development of the property market. The Government sells land under either the Application List System or government-initiated sale arrangements to increase land supply. Since the announcement of the 2012-13 Land Sale Programme in February, the Government has been supplying land in a proactive manner. Between April and December 2012, the Government put up for sale 18 residential sites, which were capable of providing about 5,100 flats, through government-initiated land sales or successful triggering of land sales by developers. To better safeguard the quantity of flat supply, the Government specified the minimum number of flats to be built at 10 sites on which at least 4,565 flats would be built.

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