International school in Sai Kung gets green light after local objections
Local schools' fears allayed by concessions, clearing way for Tseung Kwan O project
A controversial proposal to develop an international school on an empty Tseung Kwan O site has been approved by the Sai Kung district council, after a number of concessions were made to An internationalexisting local schools.
Located on Tong Yin Street, south of the Park Central estate and mall, the 15,800 square metre plot is expected to provide about 870 primary school places and 500 secondary places.
The project will go some way to providing the extra 4,200 international primary school places it is estimated the city will need by 2016, but it had encountered strong opposition from existing schools in the area.
They feared that an international school - where 30 per cent of pupils can be local children - would exacerbate problems filling local classrooms.
The bureau made concessions to ease the passage of the project. International schools bidding for the site that propose to admit no less than 80 per cent non-local children will be given priority consideration.
The bureau also agreed to reserve a section of the site for local schools to apply for relocation. It would look at a site on Wan Po Road opposite Lohas Park for a second new international school to make up for the lost places.