My Lamma Forums

[tjungarayi]

I have heard from a source that there are designs happening on the rezoning of lamma island. I did not have time to enquire further but it seems reasonable to surmise that lamma's 'backwater, 'hippie', feral status or whatever you wish to to call it is about to change.
The modern architectural apartment blocks looking toward Disneyland which are taking longer than the Parthenon to build is an indication of HK progress as are other telltale signs of HK progress like the new helipad and water treatment work.
Population pressure and increasing rent might be making lamma more cost efficient for development.
Ah,.. soon we can have decent coffee at Starbucks and have our children's parties at McDonalds overlooking Yung Shue Wan - would'nt that be marvelous!

[Lamma-Gung]

tjungarayi, could you follow up with your source, please?

That would be most interesting, especially for long-term residents as these plans wouldn't have much effect for years to come. I'll try my own sources as well.

[shapogung]

Since I had nothing better to do, I had a look at the Town Planning Board Site. None of the minutes of the last six months mention anything - but there is a press release dated June 2007. Here it is:



Draft Lamma Island Outline Zoning Plan approved
***********************************************
The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Lamma Island Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment in the Lamma Island area", a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (June 15).

The Planning Scheme Area of the OZP, covering about 1,420 hectares, comprises Lamma Island and Luk Chau. About 80% of the total area is zoned "Conservation Area" (361.6 hectares), "Site of Special Scientific Interest" (340.9 hectares), "Green Belt" (331.7 hectares) and "Coastal Protection Area" (106.4 hectares) to conserve the natural environment and features of special scientific interest.

A total of 68.4 hectares of land is zoned "Village Type Development" and reserved for the development of Small House by indigenous villagers in the area. Some 7.7 hectares of land is zoned "Residential (Group C)" which is intended for low-rise and low-density developments.

About two hectares of land in Sok Kwu Wan near the Lamma Quarry is zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" to facilitate comprehensive control over the mix, scale and design of the development to blend in with the rural character of the area.

To cater for the needs of the local population and visitors, 6.1 hectares of land is designated as "Government, Institution or Community" for major government and community facilities, and 7.5 hectares of land is zoned "Open Space".

A total of 37 hectares of land is zoned "Agriculture" and consists of both actively cultivated and fallow agricultural land. A total of 111.9 hectares of land is zoned "Other Specified Uses" to reserve sites for special uses. These include the existing Lamma Power Station, and land reserved for sewage treatment works and a liquefied petroleum gas cylinder store. The Lamma Quarry site, with an area of 34.3 hectares, is zoned "Undetermined" pending the confirmation of the future land uses.

The approved Lamma Island OZP No. S/I-LI/9 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Planning Enquiry Counters in North Point and Sha Tin, the Sai Kung and Islands District Planning Office, the Islands District Office and the Lamma Island (South) Rural Committee.

Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plan can be viewed on the Town Planning Board's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb



Ends/Friday, June 15, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:45

NNNN

[Lamma-Gung]

The 48-page Lamma Plan is a fascinating document and probably the most detailed description of Lamma Island, areas and utilities I've ever seen, dated June 2007.

Spots of interest:

1. Planned bicycle park between the ferry pier and the library.

2. Comprehensive Development Area of 2 hectares in the local Cement Works in Sok Kwu Wan, plus two rejected applications (by local developers or the off-island developer behind Lamma-1?) a few years back to enlarge the area. Gross Floor Area 120,000 sqft is planned, 3 storeys only, as usual.

A CDA means that basically anything for low-rise, low-density residential use (house, restaurants, schools, churches, shops, public utilities, etc) can be built in that area, after approval from the Town Planning Dept.

3. Lamma Quarry is still an "Undetermined" area and could later be zoned into anything. "Potential for development of temporary tourism and recreational activities."

4. Relocation of Sand Depot close to YSW ferry pier to ??

5. Population according to the 2007 by-census of all of Lamma Island was 5,150. But the plan says, "Is is estimated that the planned population of the Area would be about 12,000."

6. A Commercial site on the "future reclaimed land" (0.37 ha) on the YSW harbourfront, planned as a "small-scale commercial focal point", "to add vibrancy to the locality."

[Bullfrog]

So typical, using outdated population estimates to continue pouring concrete. If the government had had its way we would already be a city of 10mln people... and hopelessly underserviced with infrastructure. Of course, that never happened but the infrastructure has been or is being built anyway...

I have nothing against the planned bicycle area – if only they would use a more modern 'natural' construction of wood and steel to integrate it better with its surroundings and have a pleasant appearance. As usual it is to be expected that the final execution of those zoning plans into projects will be more like the drainage channel up Tai Ping then anything more environmentally integrated....

[shapogung]

I note that there is no zoning plan for 'rubbish tip' or 'metal workshop'. How come there are so many?

Who do you complain to, to get rid of these eyeshores? Lands Department? Village Headman?