Practice Note for Professional Persons No. 4/2006

Calculation of Plot Ratio of Development on Sites Straddling Land Use Zones

1. This Practice Note serves to set out the method for calculating the plot ratio (PR) of a development on a site straddling more than one land use zone on a statutory plan. The method of PR calculation is in line with the recent decisions of the Appeal Tribunal (Buildings) and the Court of First Instance in respect of a relevant case in the Mid-levels West area.
2. Any building development on a site which straddles more than one land use zone should be regarded as one development on one site, and the PR of the development is obtained by dividing the accountable gross floor area of the development as a whole by the site area as a whole.
3. For example, for a building development situated at a site partly zoned "Residential (Group A)" ("R(A)"), which is not subject to any PR restriction, and partly "R(C)", where a maximum PR of 5 is stipulated, the PR of the entire development calculated based on the method stated above should not exceed 5 even though the building which accounts for gross floor area falls entirely within the "R(A)" zone. Similarly, for a development site partly zoned "R(B)" and partly "R(C)", which are respectively subject to a PR of 5 and 3 under the statutory plan, the PR of the whole development on the site should not exceed 3.
4. There may however be situations where relaxation or minor relaxation of the PR restrictions may be considered by the Town Planning Board on application under section 16 of the Town Planning Ordinance. In such cases, the Board would consider the applications on individual merits taking into account factors including planning intention, planning and design merits, impacts on infrastructure, traffic and the environment, etc.

    

(B.C.K. FUNG)
Director of Planning
Planning Department
Date : 23 June 2006