By Fax and by Post

Secretary Town Planning Board 15/F, North Point Government Offices 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong

25 March 1999

Dear Sir/Madam,

Amendments to the Draft Tai Tong Outline Zoning Plan No.S/YL-TT/2

1. Thank you very much for inviting Friends of the Earth (FoE) to present at Town Planning Board Meeting on 9 April 1999 regarding the above-captioned gazetted OZP amendments. Herein, FoE would like to clarify our objections lodged on 20 November 1998.

2. FoE has met with Planning Department on 2 December 1998 to understand the amendments. FoE also visited the sites in Tai Tong, Yuen Long on 24 February 1999.

Amendment item B and C 3. FoE considers that the Amendment Items B and C that involve the rezoning to Open Storage (OS) may have traffic impacts on the already congesting village-grade roads, namely Tai Tong Road and Kung Um Road.

4. Secondly, the locations of rezoned OS are too close to Tai Lam Country Park (TLCP). The closest distance between the rezoned OS and TLCP is less than 100m. The visual impact is prominent when viewing from a barbecue site in TLCP at the Southeast of the rezoned OS.

5. Planning Department has commenced a Study on Port Back-up Land and Open Storage Requirements in 1993. The study recommended that the broad policy for open storage for Shep Pat Heung and Tai Tong Area should be “prevent proliferation” (Appendix 1). Obviously, the proposed Amendments Item B and C contradict the policy because such OS zoning of similar size has already existed in Tong Tau Po Tsuen in the same OZP.

6. FoE would like to withdraw the objection to the Amendments Item B and C provided that (a) Planning Department proves that the rezoned OS would not have significant traffic impacts on the major roads, i.e. Tai Tong Road and Kung Um Road. (b) Proper mitigation measures, e.g. plantation along the periphery of the OS are provided. (c) Planning Department pledges to “prevent proliferation” of OS and maintain the “discontinue” status for port back-up in Shep Pat Heung and Tai Tong Area as mentioned in the Study on Port Back-up Land and Open Storage Requirements.

Amendment A 7. Amendment Item A involves rezoning the area occupied by Tai Tong Lychee Garden to Recreation (REC) that may have impacts to the stream running through the amended zoning areas.

8. Tai Tong is one of the major dragonfly site of Hong Kong which has been proposed as a Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) by WWF and Dr. David Dudgeon. (Appendix 2) However, Tai Tong Lychee Garden has reclaimed the stream banks and built weirs and dams along the streams that imposes significant impacts on the stream ecology.

9. On the other hand, landuses such as golf course and swimming pool are included under Column 2 of REC zoning that obviously have potential threat to the stream habitats. In FoE Position on Golf Course Development (Appendix 3), FoE clearly points out that Golf course should not be permitted on or near any area of ecological significance or where there is the possibility of pollution or affect on such areas and Golf resorts should not be permitted near areas of outstanding natural beauty.

10. Moreover, Tai Tong Lychee Garden occupies and blocks the original access paths to Tai Tong Valley TLCP and entry to Garden will be charged.

11. FoE would like to withdraw the objection to the amendment Item A provided that a clear and free-of charge access path to Tai Tong Valley (TLCP) for country park visitors is provided and the following landuses are deleted from Column 2 of REC zoning in above-captioned OZP (a) Golf Course (b) Hotel (c) Public Swimming Pool (d) Restaurant

12. FoE found that it was difficult to access to the information regarding the amendment items. We would be grateful if Planning Department can improve the availability of related information for future draft or amended statutory plans.