New Territories green-belt housing plans thrown out in blow to government

Planners have thrown out proposals to build flats on two green-belt sites in a blow to the government's push for new flats to ease Hong Kong's housing shortage.

The schemes in Tai Po, designed to provided 1,300 private homes, collapsed after the Town Planning Board for the first time rejected the government's rezoning plans to meet its new homes target yesterday.

The two rejected plans were proposed for green-belt sites next to Fung Yuen village and the Nethersole Hospital, with a total area of about five hectares.

The Fung Yuen site had been included in the land sales programme, a list of sites for sale to private developers. The board's rejection might trigger its removal from the programme.

The board's move came after the government released details of some 150 sites selected for rezoning. The rezoning is designed to allow 40 per cent of the 480,000 new homes planned by 2019 under an ambitious target.

A government official accepted the board's decision. "It's within our expectation that some rezoning plans could fail. The board's decision gives a clearer indication that it doesn't approve giving up valuable trees and ecologically sensitive sites for building homes. The government will be more careful in the upcoming land search," the official said.

A board spokeswoman said the two sites were rejected as they should remain as a buffer zone around urban areas.