Description
These landscapes comprise the highest upland and peaks in Hong Kong. They are remote and exposed upland landscapes, above circa 300mPD, characterised by rocky precipitous crags, peaks and ridges. Predominantly grass-covered, they contain small areas of scrub and woodland developing in sheltered ravines and valleys, e.g. Sunset Peak, Lantau Peak.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
selecting areas that are non-developed, above 300mPD and primarily grass covered

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Like the above, these are remote upland landscapes above 300mPD. However because these uplands occur in slightly more sheltered locations, there is sufficient shelter to allow the development of scrub and limited woodland vegetation, e.g. Tai Mo Shan.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
selecting areas that are non-developed, above 300mPD and primarily scrub covered

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are exposed hillside landscapes on the mid-slopes of upland areas occurring below 300mPD. However, their elevated location results in a remote and rugged character and they are often fissured by gullies and ravines. Because of their exposed locations, scrub or woodland has difficulty developing, leaving a covering of grass and rocky outcrops, e.g. uplands above Fan Lau 

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
selecting areas above 40mPD and below 300mPD that are not valleys and are primarily grass covered.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are expansive hillside landscapes on the mid-slopes of upland areas occurring below 300mPD. and are common across Hong Kong. Because of their reasonably sheltered locations, they have a covering of scrub or scrub and grass with some woodland in more sheltered gullies, but possess remote and tranquil character\, e.g. uplands along Clearwater Bay Peninsula.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
selecting areas above 40mPD and below 300mPD that are not valleys and are primarily scrub covered.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are hillside landscapes on the mid-slopes of upland areas occurring below 300mPD and above 40mPD and are reasonably common across Hong Kong . Because of their sheltered locations or lower altitudes, they are areas where significant area of woodland has re-established, either through natural regeneration, or through plantation, e.g. upland around Plover Cove Reservoir.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
selecting areas above 40mPD and below 300mPD that are not valleys and are primarily wood covered.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are areas, usually on the lower slopes of hillsides, where superficial boulders (often of very large size) which have broken away higher up the slope, have come to rest. This results in a striking landscape, consisting of scrub covered hillside littered with numerous boulders of varying sizes, e.g. western Lantau Island uplands.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*not large enough to form landscape area

Data gaps and limitations:

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are upland hillsides above 40mPD which have in the past been terraced to form agricultural fields. Almost all of these landscapes have been abandoned and are being re-colonised by upland flora, leaving only their distinct topographic patterns, e.g. Luk Keng.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Not possible to distinguish automatically.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
These landscapes lie in upland areas where granitic rocks have been subject to weathering and chemical decomposition. This results in a highly eroded landscape of bare soil gullies and ravines with only sporadic vegetation cover on less eroded areas, e.g. Castle Peak.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
selecting areas above 40mPD which are primarily badland

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Found above 100mPD, these are small-scale, but significant, valley landscapes. They are characterised by their steep hillsides, sense of enclosure, natural qualities, the rocky streams, which tumble down them, together with riparian vegetation, e.g. upper Tung Chung Valley, Route Twisk Valley.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas above 100mPD and below 300mPD which are generally concave in nature and are primarily scrub covered.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Found above 100mPD, these are small-scale, but significant, valley landscapes, reasonably common across Hong Kong. They are characterised by their steep hillsides, sense of enclosure, natural qualities, the rocky streams, which tumble down them, but particularly by their woodland vegetation, e.g. Wong Lung Hang Valley, Sha Lo Tung.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas above 100mPD and below 300mPD which are generally concave in nature and are primarily wooded.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are lowland areas, lying below 40mPD. Usually flat or undulating, they are often studded with low hills, outcrops and wooded knolls and may contain fields and scattered groups of trees and villages (at the bases of hills). Farmland is often degraded with the increasing influence of incoherent uses such as storage yards, breaking yards, etc., e.g. - Ping Che, Lok Ma Chau.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas below 40mPD which are not Lowland Valley Floor and more than 1km from coast.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are agricultural landscapes found on lowland plains, below 40mPD close to the sea. Bordered by higher ground to the rear and by the sea, these are landscapes which are influenced by their maritime location and where field systems are still often intact. Villages, knolls and blocks of woodland are scattered across the coastal plain, e.g. Pak Kok, Lamma Island.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas below 40mPD that are within 1km of the coast.

Data gaps and limitations:
This cannot be distinguished from Rl(p)3 and Rl(p)4 therefore interim Rl(p)A is used and will be refined during field survey.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are degraded agricultural landscapes found on coastal plains, below 40mPD, close to the sea. Villages, knolls and blocks of woodland are scattered across the coastal plain, but former agricultural use has given way to a mixture of uses such as storage yards, parking, golf driving ranges, and housing development, resulting in an increasingly diverse and incoherent landscape, e.g. Sai Sha/Whitehead Peninsula.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas below 40mPD that are within 1km of the coast.

Data gaps and limitations:
This cannot be distinguished from Rl(p)2 and Rl(p)4 therefore interim Rl(p)A is used and will be refined during field survey.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are former agricultural landscapes found on coastal plains, below 40mPD. Knolls and blocks of woodland are scattered across the coastal plain, but villages, farms and former agricultural land has often been abandoned with fields having become overgrown. Other uses have not yet begun to encroach, resulting in a somewhat neglected character, e,g, Sai Sha area, Fan Lau village.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas below 40mPD that are within 1km of the coast.

Data gaps and limitations:
This cannot be distinguished from Rl(p)2 and Rl(p)3 therefore interim Rl(p)A is used and will be refined during field survey.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscape comprise extensive lowland areas of fish-ponds, located side-by-side with only a narrow bund between each one. This results in a visually dramatic, coherent landscape in which there is more water than land. The only other landscape features include occasional buildings and trees, e.g. Nam Sang Wai

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
drawing directly from the fish pond data captured in the AFCD habitat map and then buffering by 50m to create large areas of Fish Pond landscape that are > 5Ha.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are low-lying coastal landscapes of shallow pools formerly used for the extraction of salt from sea-water. Most are now disused, forming areas of relict coastal landscapes, with an expansive and neglected character, e.g. Tai O.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
Field survey

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
These are agricultural landscapes, found in the sides or upper parts of valleys. They are contained and intimate with a coherent pattern of landscape features including scattered blocks of vegetation, villages, farms and active or remnant fields. In character, these landscape are tranquil, enclosed and coherent, e.g. So Kwun Wat area.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas of valley below 100mPD and above 40mPD that area predominantly grassed.

Data gaps and limitations:
This cannot be distinguished from Rl(a)2 therefore interim Rl(a)A is used and will be refined during field survey.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are degraded, low lying agricultural areas, located on the sides or upper parts of valleys. Whilst they retain many with scattered blocks of vegetation, farms and villages, remnant fields are largely disused and have been succeeded by scrub and woodland or by incoherent mixtures of uses, such as village housing, transport infrastructure car breaking, golf driving, container storage, etc., e.g. So Kwun Wat area.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas of valley below 100mPD and above 40mPD that area predominantly grassed. This produces the interim Rl(a)A category which will be refined during field survey.

Data gaps and limitations:
This cannot be distinguished from Rl(a)1 therefore interim Rl(a)A is used and will be refined during field survey.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are the landscapes of steeply incised narrow valleys where no real distinction can be made between the valley floor and sides. They comprise lowland valleys below 100mpD which have been colonised by scrub or by scrub and grass vegetation. These landscapes are generally tranquil, small-scale and enclosed, Yi O Valley.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas of valley below 100mPD and above 40mPD that area predominantly scrub-covered.

Data gaps and limitations:
None.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are the landscapes of steeply incised narrow valleys below 100mPD where no real distinction can be made between the valley floor and sides. They contain woodland established either through natural regeneration or as plantation and in character are tranquil, small-scale, verdant and enclosed, Long Wo area, near Kei Ling Ha Hoi.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas of valley below 100mPD and above 40mPD that area predominantly wooded.

Data gaps and limitations:
None.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are natural landscapes below 40mPD located in valleys which are wide enough to have a separate discernible floor and sides. These landscapes have been settled and contain scattered blocks of vegetation, farms and villages, and active fields, resulting in a small scale, intimate and coherent landscape., e.g. Long Valley.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Not automatically distinguishable.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
These are degraded agricultural areas, located on the floors of valleys (below 40mPD) which are wide enough to have a separate discernible floor and sides. Whilst they retain many with scattered blocks of vegetation, farms and villages, remnant fields are largely disused and have been succeeded by scrub and woodland or by incoherent mixtures of uses, such as village housing, transport infrastructure car breaking, golf driving, container storage, etc., Ngau Tam Mei area.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Not automatically distinguishable.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
Located on low-lying and reclaimed urban land, these are prestige commercial and retail areas. Characterised by narrow and medium width streets, modern high-rise commercial and retail uses, modern, prestige architecture and limited street tree planting, they are large scale dramatic urban landscapes with a strong sense of enclosure, e.g. Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, Quarry Bay (Tong Chong Street).

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying street blocks of Commercial and CDA type that have buildings predominantly greater than 50m that are on reclaimed land < 500m from the coast .

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Located on low-lying and reclaimed urban land, these are commercial landscapes which are characterised by medium-rise commercial and retail development, modern architecture, limited street tree planting, occasional open spaces, and a limited sense of containment, e.g. East Tsim Sha Tsui.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying street blocks of Commercial type that have buildings predominantly less than 50m and medium density on reclaimed land < 500m from the coast .

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
An "inverted" urban pattern found across Hong Kong, these landscape are characterised by large low-rise mall complexes, internalising pedestrian circulation, and turning their back on streets, which become mainly traffic arteries. They usually comprise a retail podium with residential or commercial towers above and are defined by modern architecture, forming extensive networks, e.g. Sha Tin New Town Plaza, Ocean Terminal, Ma On Shan town centre, Tsuen Wan town centre.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Not automatically distinguishable.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
These landscapes form part of the historic core of HK Island, and comprise the remnant civic landscapes from the 19C and early 20C. Characterised by moderately wide streets, often on hillsides, with a high incidence of 19C and early 20C Civic Buildings, they are set amidst extensive areas of natural and semi-natural green space and often possess a reasonably intimate and tranquil character, e.g. Legco / Statue Square area, Lower Albert Road, Botanic Gardens, HK University area.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying street blocks containing historic buildings zoned GIC .

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are extensive areas of medium and high-rise housing towers grouped together in an estate, often on flat or terraced land, forming a single landscape, set amongst a limited amount of open space. e.g. Chi Fu Fa Yuen, Wah Fu, Sai Ying Pun, Ap Lei Chau, South Horizons.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying street blocks containing buildings of more than 30m with Land use of Private Residential and slope < 15 degrees .

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscapes are characterised by intermittent tall residential towers on steep hillsides, with winding roads, interspersed by wooded hillsides. Though often dramatic in scale, they possess a reasonably tranquil character e.g. Robinson Road, Conduit Road, Pokfulam.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying street blocks where buildings are higher than 30m, that are zoned Residential , have slope > 10 and are at least 40m mPD

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Relatively unusual in Hong Kong, these are a low-lying urban landscapes characterised by low-rise residential development, in rectilinear pattern, wide streets often lined with mature trees, and a diversity of architectural styles, e.g. Kowloon Tong.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
Identify Df(r)1and footprint density > 20%

Data gaps and limitations:
Cannot differentiate adequately from D(r)2 so interim PLCM class used. E.g. Kowloon Tong vs Fairview Estate

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
There are areas of urban landscape characterised by their mixture of land uses, mixed scales of development, intermittent open spaces and often incoherent urban structure. Very common throughout Hong Kong, these landscapes typically contain recent buildings including schools, G/IC facilities, highways infrastructure and scattered housing. Vegetation includes street trees, natural hillsides and occasional parks, e.g. Ma On Sha, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
selecting remaining areas of GIC/RES/C/CR after other classifications done where building footprint area on street block is < 30%.

Data gaps and limitations:
Tends to also pick up Rural Fringe categories for which an automatic identification method doesn't exist,

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscapes are found generally on areas of relatively flat topography, small scale streets, in rectilinear pattern, and high building density with very limited street planting. They are characterised by their retail and entertainment uses at ground floor level and by their extremely high densities of pedestrians, e.g. Causeway Bay, Mongkok Fa Yuen Street Area, parts of TST.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
selecting remaining areas of GIC/RES/C/CR after other classifications done where building footprint area on street block is > 30%.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Part of the historic core of Hong Kong Island, these landscapes are found on the lower hillsides of the Island. They are characterised by narrow streets traversing and winding up the hillsides or following the alignment of original coastlines and a diversity of building age and style. Land use includes a dense mixture of uses with a high incidence of historic buildings and limited street tree planting and pocket parks, e.g. SOHO, Western, Morrison Hill, Wellington Street, Queens Road East and West.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
Identifying street blocks of Residential or Commercial zoning where buildings are predominantly > than 40m and high incidence (>1) historic buildings.

Data gaps and limitations:
Some larger Street Blocks may be classified as Du(m)3 when only one historic building is on the block. The real LCT may be different. Only field survey can determine whether this is the case. 

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscapes comprise major urban parks, which are large enough to form their own landscape units. Often former military sites, they are extensive areas of recently constructed green space found in the centres of the urban areas. Generally, vegetation is young or semi-mature, and they possess a reasonably tranquil and enclosed character, e.g. Hong Kong Park, Kowloon Park.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
Identifying street blocks with areas of Open Space land use on them > 5HA.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are a landscapes defined by medium rise industrial buildings, usually constructed side by side in very dense arrangements. Streets are almost residual spaces, with little or no vegetation. On the peripheries, there are often areas of vacant land. Generally these landscape have an enclosed, unrelieved and somewhat intimidating character, e.g. Wong Chuk Hang, Kwun Tong, Kwai Chung, Ap Lei Chau Industrial Estate.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
Identifying street blocks where land use is "Warehouse & Storage" and "Industrial"

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are extensive areas of large, low-rise scattered buildings with wide roads, which are often tree lined. This type is found on the edges of New Towns, e.g. Tai Po Industrial Estate, Yuen Long Industrial Estate.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
Identifying street blocks where land use is "Industrial Estate"

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are waterfront civic and commercial landscapes characterised by flat topography, high or large low-rise civic buildings or ferry terminals or commercial buildings with extensive, predominantly hard landscaped areas between them. Their character and identity derives in large part from their proximity to the sea, e.g. TST Civic Complex, Wanchai Exhibition Centre Extension.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas within 50m of the coast that are zoned OU and GIC or land use GIC with a Building Foot Print of > 10%

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are coastal landscapes defined by their proximity to the sea and by the dense medium and high-rise residential estates fronting onto it. Generally, there will be a formal interface with the sea, such as a promenade or sea wall, along the sea front as well as small open spaces between residential buildings,e.g. Ap Lei Chau.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas of Du(r)1 which are adjacent to the coast.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are port and waterfront industrial landscapes defined by their proximity to the sea, extensive, medium rise industrial buildings and structures, including cranes, silos, etc , with little or no vegetation and a somewhat incoherent character, e.g. Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi, Aberdeen Harbour.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying street blocks zoned industrial or other use adjacent to artificial coast

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are extensive open spaces fronting onto the sea, large enough to form their own landscape units. They comprise largely soft landscape, and whilst vegetation is usually not mature, they have a coherent, relatively peaceful quality provided by their proximity to the sea, with which there is usually a formal interface, e.g. Tai Po Waterfront Park, Ma On Shan Park, Quarry Bay Park.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying Du(o)1 that is within adjacent of the coast.

Data gaps and limitations:
Possibly picks up Open Space that is not park. Will need to be refined during survey.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are small-scale public and private waterfront landscapes characterised by small low-rise recreational buildings, such as yacht clubs, recreational facilities, mooring etc. They have an informal and often expansive character due to their proximity to the sea, e.g. Causeway Bay Marina, Aberdeen Yacht Club.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
manual interpretation.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are man-made landscapes forming small-scale harbours. Characterised by breakwaters, dense patterns of moored fishing boats and san-pans and considerable activity and colour, they haphazard and ever changing landscapes with a quotidian or functional character, e.g. Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter, Aberdeen Harbour.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
manual interpretation of airphoto

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are landscapes which have recently been reclaimed from the sea and which are awaiting, or are in the process of development. Characterised by flat, open topography, coastal proximity, fragmented infrastructure or development and covering of grasses or scrub, they often have a desolate and expansive character, e.g. West Kowloon, Tolo Harbour.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying street blocks of "Vacant Development Land" land use within 50m of the coast.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Generally located on hillsides or uplands, these are residential landscapes comprising small-scale houses, mature street tree planting, set in extensive areas of mature woodland vegetation. They are have an informal, small-scale and tranquil character, e.g. Shouson Hill, outskirts of Stanley, Jardine¡¦s Lookout, Chung Hom Kok, Mount Kellett.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
Identify street blocks > 20mPD zoned residential with building heights predominantly < 20m and > 5% wooded.

Data gaps and limitations:
Does not capture all instances of this LCT as a street block may contain other uses/zonings such as Green Belt. e.g. Mt Kellet.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are residential landscapes comprising generally small-scale, relatively uniform housing ¡¥estates¡¦, often constructed over the last decade or so. Streets are laid out to a regular often curvilinear pattern, with street tree planting, resulting in a formal, small scale domestic landscape, e.g. Redhill, Fairview Park.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
Identify Df(r)1 and footprint density > 20%

Data gaps and limitations:
Does differentiate adeqautely from Du(r)3 so interim PLCM class used. E.g. Kowloon Tong vs Fairview Estate.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are landscapes found on the periphery of the major urban areas. They are a residual landscape type comprising roads, highways structures, vegetated hillsides (often stabilised), scattered residential development, open space, GIC, construction work, etc and have a somewhat incoherent character, e.g. Lei Yue Mun Road, Pokfulam Road.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Cannot distinguish. Manual interpretation required.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are linear landscapes associated with major highways which attain a certain critical width, often through being associated with other transportation routes, such as railways. They comprise roads, railways, elevated structures, noise barriers signage, gantries, clover leafs, traffic islands, toll plazas, intermediate strips of landscape as well as associated miscellaneous roadside land uses, resulting in diverse, incoherent, linear landscapes, e.g. Tolo Highway, West Kowloon Expressway.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
selecting Rail and Major Road reserve from OZP that are adjacent to coast.

Data gaps and limitations:
OZP supplied lacks these categories. Will rectify during survey.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are landscapes comprising extensive areas of railway tracks, sidings, sheds, rolling stock, gantries and rail infrastructure. They include sidings and marshalling yards and form landscapes which are expansive and incoherent. e.g. Fanling marshalling yards.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
manual interpretation

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscapes are found on the edges of the urban areas, and are very low density landscapes characterised by lowland topography and low-rise institutional uses (prisons, hospitals, sports pitches, youth camps) set among ample open and green space, resulting in a spacious and tranquil character, e.g. Aberdeen Tunnel area, Stanley Prison area, Pokfulam Sports Pitches area.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying G/IC areas that contain shrubland or woodland that are > 5ha

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Extensive landscapes in their own right, these areas generally lie on the edge of conurbations and are defined by their hillside locations overlooking the sea, and dense regular terraces of graves / columbaria, resulting in dramatic and impressive landscapes, e.g. Pokfulam, Chai Wan.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
extracting areas from broad land use pattern data that are > 5ha

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are flat, open and expansive landscapes comprising extensive areas of runway and grass verge with significant terminal complexes and outbuildings. Other than grass, vegetation is limited to access roads and areas around buildings, resulting in an expansive but somewhat incoherent character, e.g. Chek Lap Kok, Shek Kong.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying street blocks which have land use of "Airport"

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are landscapes found on the mid and upper levels of hillsides, in overwhelmingly natural areas, comprising wooded hillsides and slopes with scattered low, medium and high-rise residential development, (but not village house or 'estate' development). They include some of the most prestigious housing areas in Hong Kong, and result in intimate and tranquil domestic landscapes, e.g. Victoria Peak area, upper Repulse Bay Valley, Tai Tam, area between Shek O and Big Wave Bay.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*No treatment.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
Found in more remote parts of the New Territories and Islands, these are low-density developments, often in coastal locations, with mixed low-rise and medium-rise residential buildings, set amidst ample 'landscaped' open space, marina facilities, beach, etc. This results in an informal and tranquil domestic landscape, e.g. Discovery Bay, Gold Coast, Sea Ranch.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Possible treatments all over-classify for this category. Identify during survey.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are landscapes of the central areas of older villages in outlying areas, which have developed a certain critical mass and diversity of uses, to become small townships. Typically found in coastal locations, they are characterised by their extent, narrow streets, tight street pattern, low- and medium-rise buildings, mixed retail and residential uses and limited street tree or open space vegetation, resulting in a small scale and contained ¡¥town¡¦ landscape, unusual in Hong Kong, e.g. Sai Kung, Stanley.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying villages in the OZP. This class can only be distinguished to Dg(v)A interim PLCM LCT level

Data gaps and limitations:
Not all villages in OZP

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscapes were once isolated villages in their traditional rural setting, which have grown considerably in recent years. Modern village policy housing and the encroachment of urban fringe development have changed the spatial relationship of the village as well as its relationship to its setting. They are characterised by residual historic buildings with considerable modern infill, loss of surrounding agricultural fields, which have been replaced by urban fringe, village policy housing extending out into the countryside and rural fringe uses or infrastructure development. The result is a rather incoherent and dispersed village landscape, Shap Pat Heung.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying villages in the OZP. This class can only be distinguished to Dg(v) level

Data gaps and limitations:
Not all villages in OZP

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscapes comprise the older villages across Hong Kong that retain their traditional relationship of housing, fung shui woodland and agricultural fields. Such villages typically include vestigial historic buildings and shrines, although there may be some limited recent infill village housing. They are in general nucleated, small scale coherent village landscapes, e.g. San Tin.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying villages in the OZP which contain historic buildings

Data gaps and limitations:
Not all villages in OZP. Also may overlap with Walled villages which are also often historic.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscapes consist of walled villages or ' wai' found in the New Territories. They are small and very compact village landscapes consisting of tightly grouped houses arranged in a rectilinear pattern separated by small lanes, with the whole village surrounded by a defensive wall, which is largely intact. Walled villages are characterised by numerous existing historic buildings, usually with an infill of modern village housing and retain a small scale, enclosed and coherent character, e.g. the various ' wai' north east of Fanling.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying villages in the OZP. This class can only be distinguished to Dg(v)A level

Data gaps and limitations:
Not all villages in OZP. Also may overlap with Historic villages.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscapes consist of significant clusters of once-temporary structures, which have been added to and made more substantial, so that they form significant permanent villages in their own right. Such settlements are often extensions of existing villages, but over time have subsumed the existing village and its structures. They characterised by a compact urban form and a wide variety of building materials, e.g. Wong Chuk Hang area.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*This class cannot be distingusihed

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
These landscapes comprise former fishing villages which have been built right on the coast, and which retain many original structures. They form a coherent, compact village landscape characterized by its small-scale, enclosure, but also by its proximity to the sea, e.g. Yung Shue Wan.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying villages in the OZP that are within 50m of the coast

Data gaps and limitations:
Not all villages in OZP. 

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Power Stations in Hong Kong are located on the coast, principally due to the requirements to ship coal into them. They form extensive industrial landscapes, which include large buildings, storage tanks, vent stacks, as well as coal stock piles, conveyors and wharves, resulting in large scale, dramatic, but somewhat incoherent landscapes, e,g. Lamma Power Station, Castle Peak Power Station.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
manually identifying using air photo

Data gaps and limitations:
None 

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Related to the above landscape type, these are low lying, expansive coastal landscapes comprising a number of large artificial lagoons next to the sea, where ash is left to settle out, e.g. Black Point Power Station.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Cannot be automatically identified

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
These landscapes comprise areas of disturbed landscapes, located in upland areas just beyond the urban fringe. They are characterised by disturbance to natural landforms, the presence of plant and associated buildings and extensive lorry movements, etc. They are severely degraded, large scale and incoherent landscapes, e.g. Shek O Quarry, Anderson Road Quarry.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas in Land use Map that have land use which is predominantly "Quarry". These are then buffered to remove small fragments and areas > 5ha used.

Data gaps and limitations:
None 

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are extensive areas of degraded landscape located in or on the edges of the countryside. Characterised by artificial earthworks, plant, associated buildings, plant buildings and extensive lorry movements, they are large scale and incoherent in character, etc. - e.g. SENT Landfill, WENT Landfill.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas which are primarily "Landfill" in the AFCD habitat map and > 5ha.

Data gaps and limitations:
None 

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are extensive areas of lowland landscape, in which are located scattered groups of low-rise barracks and other buildings. They are generally former British military facilities which have a considerable parkland-type vegetation, much of which is now mature, and have an intimate, institutional and tranquil character, e.g. Fanling, Ngau Tam Mei, Shek Kong.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Cannot distinguish automatically. Manual interpretation

Data gaps and limitations:
None 

Source Data used to produce LCT
None 

Description
These are landscapes which have been adapted to golf course use and which are now watered and intensively managed. The result are green, tranquil, well groomed semi-natural landscapes, e.g. - Fanling, Deep Water Bay, Shek O Country Club. 

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
Identifying Golf Course form the AFCD habitat map and using directly.

Data gaps and limitations:
None 

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are upland landscapes which surround areas of artificially impounded water. They are extensive landscapes of few features other than dams, water and pumping stations. Surrounding slopes are usually well wooded, resulting in a landscape that is at the same time enclosed and expansive, e.g. Aberdeen Reservoir, Plover Cove Reservoir. 

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas from LIC Hydrological data that are of type "Reservoir" then buffering by 50m to form larger polygons.

Data gaps and limitations:
None 

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are expansive and large scale recreational landscape comprising a diverse mixture buildings, features and rides scattered over a wide area of landscape, usually on the rural fringe. The result is a varied and often rather incoherent landscape of large scale and colourful features, Ocean Park. 

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Cannot be automatically identified


Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
These are low-lying coastal landscapes, comprising open water and reed beds. Generally located in unspoilt coastal areas, they are simple, expansive landscapes with a remote and tranquil character, e.g. Luk Keng, So Lo Pun. 

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
extracting sea grass beds from AFCD habitat map.

Data gaps and limitations:
Not fully representative of Salt Marsh LCT. Will need to be refined manually. 

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Lying in shallow coastal waters, these are ephemeral landscapes comprising mud banks and sea. At high tide, these landscapes may totally disappear, whilst at low tide, they comprise expansive areas of water and mud with a desolate and remote character, e.g. Deep Bay, So Kwu Wan. 

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
extracting areas of "Intertidal Mudflat" from AFCD habitat map.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are complex inter-tidal landscapes of sheltered creeks and lagoons, surrounded by mangrove vegetation. They are characterised by the interaction of land and water, by specific species of mangrove vegetation and by their tranquil, maritime character, e.g. Inner Deep Bay. 

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
extracting areas of Mangrove from AFCD habitat map.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Gei wai are a series of tidal pools created in order to catch shrimp. This results in a distinctive inter - tidal landscape of pools and sluices, many of which are still active. Those which have been abandoned are slowly colonised by mangrove species, e.g. Deep Bay. 

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Cannot distinguish automatically from Fish Pond Rl(p)5

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
These are landscapes consisting of both small rocky islands and surrounding areas of sea. Such islands are too small to constitute a landscape in their own right and are generally steep-sided rocky outcrops with grass and limited scrub vegetation. In these maritime landscapes the sea is as important as the land and in combination, they often produce a visually dramatic and isolated landscape character, e.g. Green Island.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying street blocks with no adjacent neighbours (i.e. islands).

Data gaps and limitations:
Needs to be manually refined if island large enough to contain other LCTs

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
Similar to the type above, these are landscapes consisting of several tiny islands scattered across an area of sea, but close enough to each other to form a maritime landscape unit. Individual islands are too small to constitute a terrestrial landscape in themselves and are generally steep-sided rocks emerging from the sea, with some grass and scrub cover. This landscape type is defined by the relationship of the rocky islands to each other and to the sea, resulting in a complex and dramatic maritime landscape, e.g. The Brothers, island groups in Port Shelter.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
manual separation from Cn(d)1.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are narrow coastal landscapes comprising dramatic cliff formations rising sharply from the sea. They consist of cliffs, sea and the immediate hinterland, producing large-scale visually dramatic and exposed coastal landscape, e.g. Ping Chau, Kau Sai Chau.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*No treatment exists as yet.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None

Description
These are narrow, coastal landscapes comprising rocky shoreline rising from the sea, the sea itself and the immediate hinterland. At a certain level above high tide, there is usually sporadic grass and scrub vegetation. The overall effect is to produce a rugged and exposed landscape, characterised by the relationship of land and sea, e.g. Cape D'Aguilar.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
extracting areas of coast type of rocky or sandy shore but not beach from AFCD habitat map and buffering them by 50m to produce a spatial extent.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are narrow, low-lying coastal landscapes, characterised by the accretion of sand into beach formations. These landscapes comprise beach, sea and the immediate hinterland, which is usually covered by littoral vegetation. Beach landscapes are usually located in bays of land which allow beaches to form. Therefore, there is usually to some degree, a sense of enclosure in these landscapes. At the same time however, because of the presence of the sea, they also have an exposed, maritime character, e.g. Tai Long Wan, Cheung Sha.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
extracting beach areas form AFCD habitat map

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are the waters which lie within large urban harbours. They are characterised by urban development which encloses them along the shore, considerable movement of small shipping, ferries and pleasure craft, with high levels of movement, colour and diversity, as well as increased levels of visible pollution. This results in an enclosed marine landscape of considerable diversity, e.g. Victoria Harbour, Tsing Yi Harbour.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
manually delineating using artificial coastline, air photo and shipping lanes as guide.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These landscapes lie generally close to the shore of port areas and are areas of coastal water where large vessels and barges anchor to load and unload goods. They are characterised by the presence of large numbers of vessels lying at anchor with lighters and tenders moving back and forth between them. Such landscapes are expansive but possess considerable diversity and movement, e.g. area west of Stonecutters Island.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
using CED digital data of Anchorages

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are coastal waters which act as major international shipping lanes for large vessels. They are characterised by their expansive character, the presence of relatively large numbers of such vessels, by considerable movement and swell, e.g. East Lamma Channel.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
using CED digital data of Shipping Lanes.

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are offshore waters in remote coastal areas where there is little or no marine traffic, except for occasional pleasure craft. Fish farms may also be found in such waters and levels of visible pollution are generally lower than elsewhere, resulting in an expansive, tranquil character e.g. Tolo Harbour, Sai Kung Coast.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
identifying areas which are not harbour, shipping lane or anchorage

Data gaps and limitations:
None

Source Data used to produce LCT

Description
These are marine landscape lying just off the coast comprising open water, where regular patterns of booms and nets have been set out for the farming of fish. At the same, time open and expansive, these landscapes have a certain formal quality as a result of the regular man-made features within them, e.g. waters off east Lamma coast.

Rules defining this LCT in the PLCM are
*Cannot distinguish from Rl(p)5.

Data gaps and limitations:
Existing data will not allow this LCT to be distinguished.

Source Data used to produce LCT
None