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director's message

I took up the post of Director of Planning in January
2021. I am delighted to write my very first Director’s
Message for the Annual Report and share with you
the work of Planning Department.

2020 was a tough year for all of us in Hong
Kong. Amidst the challenges, the Department has
continued to demonstrate our commitment and

professionalism in supporting the Government’s
initiatives to increase land supply, and to make
available suitable sites for meeting housing and

other needs.

Under the Government’s multi-pronged land supply strategy, we have identified 330
hectares of land for building 316 000 public housing units to meet the demand of the
coming decade. Through completing/initiating statutory planning procedures for 151
sites for residential uses, a total of about 210 600 housing units could be yielded.

This year, we have continued exploring the possibility of optimising brownfield sites
for other suitable uses. We have completed the second phase review of potential

brownfield clusters for public housing development in the short to medium term.
Among the 290 ha of brownfield sites reviewed, four brownfield clusters in Yuen Long
and Sheung Shui have been identified to have public housing potential. Together
with the eight brownfield clusters in Yuen Long, Tuen Mun and Tai Po identified under

the first phase review completed in 2019, it is roughly estimated that these brownfield
clusters and the adjoining land will produce a total of 30 000 public housing units. We
target to transform these sites into “spade-ready” sites within six years. A land use
review study for Ngau Tam Mei area will also be conducted to ascertain the feasibility

of comprehensive development of the brownfield clusters thereat taking into account
the development opportunities to be brought by the proposed Northern Link and the
proposed Ngau Tam Mei station.

The feasibility study of the San Tin/Lok Ma Chau Development Node (ST/LMC DN) i.e.
the First Phase Development of the New Territories North has made good progress. It is
expected that the investigation study for the ST/LMC DN will commence in 2021.

We are committed to realising the harbour planning vision of building an attractive,
vibrant, accessible and sustainable harbourfront. Over the years, we have carried out
a number of studies to guide the planning and design of harbourfront development.

The latest one is the ‘Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point
Harbourfront Areas’ completed in October 2019. The Study has formulated a sustainable

7 PLANNING DEPARTMENT