Mai Po

GUIDELINES governing land use around the ecologically sensitive areas of Mai Po Nature Reserve and Inner Deep Bay were approved yesterday, in a move designed to protect the area from encroaching urban development.

The Town Planning Board approval will allow the creation of two buffer zones to give the areas additional protection.

No development will be allowed inside Buffer Zone 1 unless it is associated with the area's conservation.

Development in Buffer Zone 2 will also be banned unless it has no significant impact on the environment, ecology, drainage, sewerage and traffic of the reserve and areas around Inner Deep Bay.