Town Planning Board reconsiders Wan Chai North plan

After further consideration of the draft Wan Chai North Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) on October 31, the Town Planning Board has requested the Government to undertake a comprehensive planning and engineering review on the Wanchai Development Phase II reclamation.

The Board recognises that Victoria Harbour is a special public asset and part of the natural heritage of Hong Kong, and that it has a duty to protect and preserve the Harbour. The Board respects the rule of law. Notwithstanding that its appeal to the Court of Final Appeal to seek clarification on the legal principles behind the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance is yet to be heard, the Board has reassessed the purpose and extent of each individual component of the proposed reclamation based on the three tests laid down in the High Court judgment on the judicial review on the OZP.

"After careful examination, the Board has requested that the Government carry out the review and draw up a minimum reclamation option for Wan Chai North that would comply with the law, before proceeding with the reconsideration of the objections and the draft OZP according to the provisions of the Town Planning Ordinance," a spokesman of the Board explained.

The spokesman added that in light of the High Court judgement on the OZP, the Board had already decided in July to drop the Harbour Park proposal.

Ends/Friday, November 7, 2003

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