1.1.1
Tseung Kwan O (TKO) is the seventh New
Town in Hong Kong. Since the approval
in 1982 to develop TKO into a new town, TKO has undergone very rapid
development and the New Town now provides homes to about 330,000 people. According to the current TKO Outline Zoning
Plan (OZP), Plan No. S/TKO/15, the existing and currently planned development
would bring the population up to around 480,000.
1.1.2
Over the past few years, Civil
Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) has conducted a number of studies
on potential developments in TKO, to establish the extent of further
development, population levels, external road connections, etc. However, since these studies were carried
out, a number of planning parameters have changed, including population level
targets and the associated need for extensive reclamation, the implementation
timing and scale of strategic road links, as well as the deletion of port
facilities previously proposed in Area 131.
Therefore, a review of the overall planning of TKO has been undertaken
in the light of these recent changes, and to ensure a comprehensive planning
approach to the development of this area within the context of the South East
New Territories (SENT) Development Strategy.
1.1.3
Maunsell Consultants Asia Limited
(MCAL) was commissioned by the New Territories East Development Office of the
CEDD of the Hong Kong SAR Government to undertake the Feasibility Study for
Further Development of Tseung Kwan O (hereafter referred to as “the Project”),
with environmental studies conducted by Maunsell Environmental Management
Consultants Limited (MEMCL). The
proposed developments under the Project are shown in Figure 1.1 and comprise new developments at:
§
Town Centre South (TCS)
§
Pak Shing Kok (PSK)
§
Remaining areas of Tiu Keng Leng (TKL)
§
Western Coast Road (WCR)
§
Cross Bay Link (CBL).
1.2.1
The first phase of the Study underwent
a detailed evaluation of different alignments and form of structures for the
WCR and the CBL, as well as alternative land use proposals for TCS and PSK to
arrive at the optimum planning and engineering solutions which would fit
together in a coherent manner.
1.2.2
Public consultation was first held at
the beginning of the Study, in September/ October 2002, to elicit public
comments and views on the further development of TKO. These comments were then taken
into consideration in the initial development options. These initial
development options were then discussed at a Value Management Forum from which
four alternative development themes for the Project were generated.
1.2.3
The four alternative development
themes were evaluated against a range of performance criteria and subjected to
comparative assessments from environmental, planning and technical
perspectives. They were then put to extensive consultation to seek the public’s
views. Subsequent to this second round of public consultation, which was
carried out in May 2003, a preferred development theme, incorporating the
public feedback, was determined.
1.2.4
A Concept Plan was developed on the
basis of the preferred development theme, which presents the broad land use
framework for the further development areas of TKO, including TCS, PSK and the
remaining areas of TKL. The form of the CBL associated with the preferred
development theme is a bridge across Junk Bay linking the WCR on the western
side of Junk Bay with Wan Po Road to the south of Area 86 on the eastern side
of Junk Bay. The bridge scheme was incorporated in the Concept Plan.
1.2.5
At the same time as the evaluation of
the alternative development themes, the alternative WCR tunnel and coastal
alignments were also subjected to a detailed evaluation and put to
consultation. The tunnel alignment of WCR was selected as the preferred option
and was incorporated in the Concept Plan.
The Concept Plan was put out to the third round of Public Consultation
in January/ February 2004. The Plan was used for formulation of more detailed
layout plans that provide the land use and infrastructure layout framework for
testing in the various impact assessment studies including Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) to confirm their feasibility.
1.3.1
The preferred development option for
the Project has considered reduced residential density in TCS and the remaining
area of TKL. Further development of TKO under the preferred option would trim
down the ultimate population at TKO to around 450,000 as compared to around
480,000 as outlined in the current OZP. The preferred option has also
considered use of restored TKO Stage I Landfill for leisure and recreation, extensive
park developments and waterfront promenade providing a variety of open spaces,
as well as deletion of planned waterfront roads around TCS to create a traffic
free pedestrian environment with easy access to bring people to the
waterfront. The TCS development area
provides opportunities to create a better living environment through good urban
design planning with an attractive waterfront for the enjoyment of TKO
residents. The Eastern Drainage Channel
(EDC) and Inner Junk Bay would be utilised for water recreation
activities. More landscape open space
in TKL will alleviate the impact of the surrounding high-density environment.
1.3.2
Under the preferred development
option, a narrow strip of new land of approximately 12.3 ha will be formed
along the western shoreline of Junk Bay to accommodate the toll plaza, the
tunnel operation and management facilities, the interchange linking WCR with
the CBL bridge and Road P2 to the north carrying traffic to TKO Town Centre. The extent of the reclamation has already
been minimised to satisfy the Government’s requirement and the community’s
aspiration. There would be no reclamation required in the Victoria Harbour and
no reclamation required for the new developments at TCS and PSK.