Three Land Sharing Pilot Scheme applications endorsed in-principle

The Development Bureau (DEVB) today (November 3) announced that the Chief Executive-in-Council has endorsed in-principle three Land Sharing Pilot Scheme (LSPS) applications with support from the Panel of Advisors (Panel).
 
The three applications concerned sites in Yuen Long and Tai Po Districts, proposing to provide a total of about 21 600 housing units, including about 15 100 public housing units, as summarised below. Details of their proposed development parameters and progress have been uploaded to the LSPS webpage: www.devb.gov.hk/en/issues_in_focus/land_sharing_pilot_scheme/land_sharing_pilot_scheme_applications/application_received/index.html

• Application No. LSPS/002 – Jointly made by Topwood Limited, Success King Limited and Richduty Development Limited (parent company: Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited), the application concerns a site at Ho Chau Road, Yuen Long (near Tung Shing Lei), seeking to change the current "Residential (Group D)" zone into higher density residential uses with supporting facilities. Of the additional domestic gross floor area (GFA) of 133 400m2 generated under the proposed scheme, 70 per cent (about 93 400m2) will be set aside for public housing/Starter Homes (SH) development, whereas the remaining 30 per cent (about 40 000m2) will be set aside for private housing development. It is anticipated that the domestic GFA set aside for public housing / SH development will provide 1 870 public housing / SH units; whereas that set aside for private housing development, together with the private housing domestic GFA (about 10 200m2) previously approved by the Town Planning Board before the applicant joined the LSPS, will provide about 1 260 private housing units. The Panel supported the proposed scheme, and considered that it struck a proper balance between housing demand and conservation.

• Application No. LSPS/003 – Jointly made by Ocean Target Enterprises Limited (parent company: Henderson Land Development Company Limited), Gettenwood Company Limited and Fullmark Development Limited (parent company of both, Wheelock Properties Limited), the application concerns a site at She Shan Road and Lam Kam Road, Tai Po (near Lam Tsuen), seeking to change the current "Agriculture" and "Government, Institution or Community" zones into residential uses with supporting facilities. Of the additional domestic GFA of 606 000m2 generated under the proposed scheme, 70 per cent (about 424 200m2) will be set aside for public housing / SH development, whereas the remaining 30 per cent (about 181 800m2) will be set aside for private housing development. It is anticipated that the domestic GFA set aside for public housing / SH development, together with the domestic GFA (about 35 300m2) proposed to be generated through Government's land resumption, will provide about 9 190 public housing / SH units; whereas that set aside for private housing development will provide about 3 640 private housing units. The Panel supported the proposed scheme, and considered that the concentrated pattern of land owned by the applicant and the scale of the project would enable a better layout for the community and housing blocks. It would also allow the provision of more Government, institution or community facilities to serve the locals and to cater for the needs in the long run.

• Application No. LSPS/005 – Made by Busy Firm Investment Limited (parent company, New World Development Company Limited), the application concerns a site at Wing Ning Tsuen, Long Ping Road, Yuen Long, seeking to change the current "Comprehensive Development Area" and "Green Belt" into residential uses with supporting facilities. Of the additional domestic GFA of 265 900m2 generated under the proposed scheme, 70 per cent (about 186 100m2) will be set aside for public housing/SH development, whereas the remaining 30 per cent (about 79 800m2) will be set aside for private housing development. It is anticipated that the domestic GFA set aside for public housing / SH development, together with the domestic GFA (about 14 800m2) proposed to be generated through inclusion of more Government land, will provide about 4 020 public housing / SH units; whereas that set aside for private housing development will provide about 1 600 private housing units. The Panel supported the proposed scheme which would help the transformation of the brownfields in the area, and match with the housing developments in the vicinity. It considered that under the proposed scheme, development sites were properly linked up without compromising overall development layout.

In line with the direction for streamlining development procedures, the Chief Executive-in-Council also decided to delegate its authority to the Steering Committee on Land and Housing Supply, chaired by the Financial Secretary, to consider whether to grant endorsement in-principle to future LSPS applications supported by the Panel of Advisors in accordance with the LSPS framework. The Chief Executive-in-Council will examine the proposals in accordance with the prevailing mechanism when the developments go through the statutory procedures (such as town planning and gazettal of road works).

A spokesman of DEVB said that LSPS aimed to unlock the development potential of private land in areas not covered by Government's planning studies or conservation areas, and served to complement Government-led land supply initiatives. Under the LSPS, the additional domestic GFA of the site generated by infrastructural enhancement will be allocated to public and private housing on a 70:30 ratio. As with other lease modifications, applicants will be charged premium. 

LSPS was launched in May 2020 for 3 years. To date, five applications have been received.