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CAVERN MASTER PLAN – INFORMATION NOTE

STRATEGIC CAVERN AREA NO. 26 – WEST

This Information Note describes the characteristics, key development opportunities and constraints of Strategic Cavern Area No. 26 - Lion Rock West (the SCVA). It indicates the potential land uses suitable for cavern development within the area, but would not pre-empt other possible land uses put forward by the project proponents with justifications. It also denotes the extent of potential portal locations. The spatial context of the SCVA is illustrated in the Reference Drawing appended to this Information Note.

Reference should be made to the Explanatory Statement of the Cavern Master Plan for its background and purposes, as well as the definition and delineation criteria of SCVAs.

1. Location Plan

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2. Strategic Cavern Area Details

Outline Zoning Plans (OZPs): Approved and Tung Tau OZP No. S/K8/21 Approved , & OZP No. S/K11/29 Area: 110.0 ha Maximum elevation in the SCVA: +494 mPD Minimum elevation in the SCVA: +66 mPD

3. District Context

Location

The SCVA is located at the south of Lion Rock, which is situated in East . is to the north of the SCVA, to the west, to the southwest, to the southeast and Tsz Wan Shan to the east.

The SCVA is generally hilly with a maximum elevation of about +494 mPD. About half of the SCVA encroaches onto Lion Rock Country Park. Lion Rock Park is located in the southwestern portion of the SCVA. Within the park there are Lion Rock High Level No. 1 Fresh Water Primary Service Reservoir, Lion Rock Low Level Fresh Water Primary Service Reservoir and the Ma Chai Hang Pumping Station is located nearby.

To the southwest of the SCVA, Kowloon Tong is mainly comprised of residential communities with low- to medium-rise developments including Yau Yat Tsuen (about 1.4 km to the southwest of the SCVA) and One Beacon Hill (about 700 m to the southwest of the SCVA). While to the southeast and east of the SCVA, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan are also major residential communities with high-rise residential developments, including (about 400 m to the south of the SCVA), Chuk Yuen (North) Estate (near the southeastern boundary of the SCVA), clusters of private residential buildings along Sheung Fung Street (e.g. Fung Wong Chuen Buildings about 500m to the southeast of the SCVA), and Fung Tak Estate (about 650 m to the southeast of the SCVA).

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In the proximity of the SCVA, there are a number of key Government, Institution and Community (GIC) facilities supporting the development of Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan as well as the territory. These include Baptist Hospital and Hong Kong Baptist University (both about 450 m to the southwest of the SCVA), City University of Hong Kong (about 1.2 km to the southwest of the SCVA), Wong Tai Sin Hospital and Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital (about 250 m to the southeast of the SCVA) and clusters of service reservoirs, such as Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir (at the southern boundary of the SCVA), Lion Rock High Level No. 2 Fresh Water Primary Service Reservoir (about 150 m to the southwest of the SCVA), Fung Wong Fresh Water Service Reservoir & Fung Wong Salt Water Service Reservoir (about 150 m to the east of the SCVA) and Diamond Hill Fresh Water Service Reservoir & Diamond Hill Salt Water Service Reservoir (about 250 m to the east of the SCVA). Under the “Relocation of Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs to Caverns – Feasibility Study”, the facilities have been proposed for relocation to caverns in the hillside to the north of Chuk Yuen (North) Estate in Wong Tai Sin, which is within the boundary of the SCVA.

Access

The SCVA is accessed from its eastern and southern edges via , Chui Chuk Street and a restricted access road to Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir. Regional connections could be routed through the nearby and Lion Rock Tunnel.

The MTR and Shatin to Central Link (under construction) serve the locality of Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan. The nearest stations include Station (Kwun Tong Line; about 700 m to the south of the SCVA) and (Kwun Tong Line; about 600 m to the southeast of the SCVA). Connecting minibus and bus services to the MTR stations are also established in the locality to serve the existing residential developments.

Land Use Zoning

The SCVA straddles two OZPs including the Approved Wang Tau Hom & Tung Tau OZP No. S/K8/21 and the Approved Tsz Wan Shan, Diamond Hill & San Po Kong OZP No. S/K11/29. While majority of the southern half portion of the SCVA is zoned “Green Belt" (“GB"), an area in the southern part of the SCVA is zoned “Residential (Group A)”, and another area in the southwestern part of the SCVA is zoned “Government, Institution or Community” (“G/IC”) and “Open Space” (“O”). The remainder of the SCVA is not covered by any Statutory Plan and is designated as Country Park. The zonings of the surrounding areas include “GB”, “Residential (Group A)”, “G/IC” and “O” to the southeast and southwest, with the rest being Lion Rock Country Park.

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For details of the latest land use zonings on OZPs, please refer to the Town Planning Board website (http://www.tpb.gov.hk).

There is currently no existing cavern facility within the SCVA. The Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs are proposed to be relocated to caverns within the SCVA.

4. Summary of Characteristics of Strategic Cavern Area

4.1. Boundary

The northern boundary of the SCVA is defined by valley topography, and also by an extent of 800 m from the potential portal locations. The eastern boundary of the SCVA is defined by Fat Chong Temple and Tsz Wan Shan 400 kV Substation. The western boundary of the SCVA is defined by Lion Rock Tunnel and Lion Rock Tunnel Road. The southern boundary of the SCVA is defined by Lung Cheung Road, Chui Chuk Street, access road to Lion Rock Park, Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir, and residential developments including Tsui Chuk Garden and Chuk Yuen (North) Estate .

4.2. Geology

The solid geology of the SCVA is primarily fine-grained granite, which belongs to Kowloon Granite within the southern portion and Granite within the northern portion. The SCVA is with the rock type that is suitable for cavern development. A number of geological features, such as faults, photolineaments and quartz veins, are identified within and in the areas surrounding the SCVA. The excavated fine-grained granite within the SCVA is suitable for reuse as construction aggregate.

Further geological information of the SCVA can be found on the 1:20,000-scale Geological Map Sheet 11 (Hong Kong & Kowloon) published by the Geotechnical Engineering Office, Civil Engineering and Development Department.

4.3. Planning

The SCVA is close to the existing urban development in Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan. Given that the SCVA is well connected to the rest of the territory by highway and railway, there is potential for the SCVA to support the development of these areas.

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The southwestern, southern and southeastern sides of the SCVA are the major residential development areas in Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan. These areas consists of various low- to high-rise residential developments (e.g. Yau Yat Tsuen, Wang Tau Hom Estate and Fung Tak Estate) supported by a number of GIC facilities (e.g. university, hospital, service reservoir, etc.). Should there be any need for providing additional land for residential use, the SCVA may provide the solution space by, for example, relocating some of the suitable infrastructure facilities (e.g. service reservoir) to caverns. By doing so, surface land could be released for other beneficial uses (e.g. residential developments and/or community facilities), and it could also enable more effective utilisation of land resources in these areas while preserving the natural landscape in Lion Rock as a natural backdrop to the urban developments in the locality. The proposed relocation of the Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs to caverns is one of the examples.

The preliminary proposal is to develop the released site of the existing Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs for housing and other beneficial uses to improve the community and environment while supporting the sustainable development of Hong Kong. Community facilities and recreational areas would also be considered as appropriate. Given that the SCVA is in close proximity to the existing residential developments and this planned released site, there is potential for the SCVA to support the existing communities by taking into account the future development in holistic planning for greater synergy effects, for example, by providing community facilities such as leisure centre/sports centre in caverns if there are needs in the locality. Project proponents should take into account the latest development of the Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs relocation project.

4.4. Environmental

Environmental sensitive receivers to cavern development in the SCVA are the nearby residential developments (e.g. Tsui Chuk Garden, Pang Ching Court, Tin Wang Court, Tin Ma Court, Shatin Pass Estate, Chuk Yuen (North) Estate and Fat Chong Temple) and some GIC facilities (e.g. Wong Tai Sin Hospital, Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, Diamond Hill Kwong Yum Home for the Aged and Evangel Children’s Home). The SCVA comprises wooded areas and shrubby hillsides, and encroaches onto Lion Rock Country Park and Water Gathering Grounds. Beacon Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest is located about 300 m to the northwest of the SCVA. The Grade 1 historical building of Wong Tai Sin Temple is about 400 m to the southeast of the SCVA. In addition, an identified old footpath, namely “Kowloon Route (Kowloon City to Sham Chun: Kowloon City to Yuen Chau Kok Ferry Pier Sub- Section)”, is located to the east of the SCVA. There are natural or modified surface water courses within the SCVA

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All potential environmental constraints, which may impose restrictions on cavern development, should be identified and taken into account under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) and other relevant ordinances, such as the Country Parks Ordinance. Project proponents are required to take into account the potential environmental constraints when planning each cavern development project and undertaking the environmental impact assessment under the EIAO to determine its environmental acceptability, potential environmental impacts and environmental mitigation measures required.

4.5. Traffic

The SCVA can be accessed from its eastern and southern edges via Shatin Pass Road, Chui Chuk Street and a restricted access road to Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir.

The SCVA is easily accessible from the primary road network via Chuk Yuen Road, Shatin Pass Road and Lung Cheung Road. Chuk Yuen Road and Shatin Pass Road are expected to have capacity to accommodate additional traffic generated by future cavern development project. Lung Cheung Road, however, is expected to operate with marginal capacity in the future. From Lung Cheung Road, direct connections can be made with Lion Rock Tunnel Road, Waterloo Road and expressways in the Kwun Tong area. These connections allow for good accessibility to the other parts of Hong Kong.

4.6. Other Key Issues / Constraints on Cavern Development

The railway tunnel of Shatin to Central Link passes through the western portion of the SCVA in a northwest-southeast direction. Owing to the difference in elevation, this tunnel would not pose any insurmountable constraint to cavern development within the SCVA.

A vehicle tunnel, namely the Lion Rock Tunnel, is about 50 m to the west of the SCVA. A cable tunnel, namely the CLP Tsz Wan Shan cable tunnel, is about 50 m to the east of the SCVA. An abandoned tunnel Shelter is located approximately 50 m to the west of the SCVA. As these tunnels are distant from the SCVA, they would not pose any insurmountable constraint to cavern development.

5. Potential Land Uses

The potential land uses for the SCVA are as follows:

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Land use Description

The SCVA is located close to a large population catchment as it is adjacent to various existing residential developments such as Tsui Chuk Garden, Pang Ching Court, Chuk Yuen (North) Estate and the potential released site of the Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs which is preliminarily proposed for housing development and other beneficial uses. There is potential for the SCVA to be planned holistically with these developments by providing supporting community Leisure Centre / facilities, such as leisure centre/sports centre to serve the existing and future population when such a need of the facilities Sports Centre arises.

Although the potential portal locations are distant from MTR and Wong Tai Sin Station by about 700 m and 600 m and with some differences in elevations, connecting minibus and bus services are established in the locality to serve the existing residential developments, which further enhances the potential for housing such facilities in the SCVA.

Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan are homes of various residential developments (e.g. Wang Tau Hom Estate and Chuk Yuen (North) Estate) and have the potential for further growth given they are located in an urban setting equipped with well-established infrastructural systems. There is thus opportunity to develop suitable land use to support the potential expansion of these residential areas, by relocating Service Reservoir some of the suitable infrastructure facilities, such as service reservoir, to caverns.

The adjacent Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs have been proposed for relocation to caverns in the SCVA. Subject to the result of the feasibility study, the relocation could release the surface land for other beneficial uses and for integration with the future development.

Note: Zoning amendment/planning application may be required to facilitate the pursuit of the above potential land uses.

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6. Extent of Potential Portal Locations

The extent of the potential portal locations is shown on the Reference Drawing.

The potential portal locations on Chuk Yuen Road and Chui Chuk Street (on the southern edge of the SCVA) and that on Shatin Pass Road (on the eastern edge of the SCVA) are located along roadside slopes and access would be provided via a run-in/outs or priority controlled junctions, depending on the proposed land use. These potential portal locations are with good accessibility and the adjacent road network should have adequate capacity to accommodate a range of traffic generating activities.

The potential portal location on the access road to the Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir behind the Tsui Chuk Garden is less accessible, with vehicle access only possible via the narrow access roads of the Lion Rock Park and Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir. The current access would only be suitable for low traffic-generating activities. Major road upgrading works may be required to support moderate to high traffic-generating activities that would require dual way vehicle access to the proposed cavern facilities.

There are natural slopes above the potential portal locations. There may be potential natural terrain hazards in the vicinity which may require further study by the project proponents.

Project proponents should carry out further studies on identifying specific locations of portals for the proposed cavern development.

7. Concluding Remarks

The SCVA presents an opportunity for locating suitable land uses in rock caverns to serve the neighbouring and future residential communities (e.g. service reservoirs). Besides, the SCVA could also be integrated with the future development of the potential released site of the existing Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs to support the existing residential communities by providing community facilities (e.g. leisure centre/ sports centre). Project proponents for cavern development should take due consideration of the existing and proposed residential developments, accessibility for cavern development, environmental sensitive receivers and the latest development of the Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs relocation project, to minimise the interfacing issues and bring about greater synergy and opportunities.

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8. Notes

The Cavern Master Plan and all supporting documents do not exempt project proponents for cavern development from following the relevant statutory and planning procedures. Information including the potential land uses and the extent of potential portal locations indicated in this Information Note should serve as reference materials only. In formulation of development proposals, project proponents should conduct the necessary studies and assessments relevant to each project stage. Reference should be made to the “Implementation” section of the Explanatory Statement of the Cavern Master Plan for further details.

Information Note (SCVA26 – Lion Rock West)