The Development Bureau today (April 27) welcomed the revision by West Rail Property Development Limited (WRPDL) of the development scheme at Long Ping Station (South) to comply with the Government's requirements for fostering a quality and sustainable built environment (QBE requirements) that have come into effect since April 1, 2011.
The Town Planning Board (TPB) published the revised scheme at Long Ping Station (South) today for public inspection until May 18.
"This is the sixth West Rail property development project which WRPDL has redesigned to comply with the QBE requirements, following the revision to the schemes at Nam Cheong Station; Tsuen Wan 5 (Bayside), Tsuen Wan 5 (Cityside), Tsuen Wan 6 at Tsuen Wan West Station; and Long Ping Station (North)," a spokesman for the Development Bureau said.
The development is located in a site zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" on the Yuen Long Outline Zoning Plan. Its revised Master Layout Plan requires the TPB's approval. The Rural and New Town Planning Committee of the TPB will consider the revised scheme on June 1.
"We welcome the revised scheme which will bring about significant improvements in terms of building separation and permeability, air ventilation as well as greenery coverage for the benefit of residents and the neighbourhood," the spokesman said.
Key improvements of the revised scheme include deletion of one residential tower and commercial gross floor area, reduction of the height of the podium from four storeys to two storeys as well as relocation of the carpark to the basement to reduce development bulk; and widening the breezeways and visual corridors between towers to not less than 15 metres to enhance air circulation and visual permeability. Taking into account the Drainage Services Department's project to beautify the Yuen Long nullah, the WRPDL has dropped its original plan to deck over the nullah as part of the development project and, as a result, the site area has been reduced from 14,900 square metres to 8,398 square metres. The previous and revised Master Layout Plans are at Annex A and Annex B respectively.
The opportunity has also been taken to increase the proportion of small and medium-sized flats in the project. The number of units with a saleable area of 50 square metres or less has been increased to 428 (59 per cent out of 720 in total) under the revised scheme, compared with only 99 (11 per cent out of 900 in total) in the previous scheme.
"The revised scheme meets the new QBE requirements and represents an improvement over the previous scheme. We are confident that the public and the Yuen Long District Council will appreciate the QBE initiative and render their support for the project. Representatives from the Development Bureau, other relevant government departments and MTR Corporation Limited, which is managing the project on behalf of WRPDL, will attend the meeting of Yuen Long District Council's Town Planning and Development Committee to solicit its support," the spokesman said.
Subject to the TPB's approval, WRPDL plans to tender the project in late 2012. The successful tenderer will then submit general building plans complying with the new QBE requirements to the Building Authority for approval.
Railway property development projects are an importance source of housing land supply. West Rail sites at Nam Cheong Station (3,313 units) and Tsuen Wan 5 (Cityside) (942 units) at Tsuen Wan West Station were successfully tendered in 2011-12. Looking ahead, the Tsuen Wan 5 (Bayside) site (2,384 units) at Tsuen Wan West Station will be retendered at an appropriate time. The progress made in the revised schemes at Long Ping Station (North) (832 units), Tsuen Wan 6 (894 units) at Tsuen Wan West Station and now Long Ping Station (South) (720 units) will help pave the way for the tendering of these sites in 2012-13.
Ends/Friday, April 27, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:01
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