Fanling North, Kwu Tung, Ta Kwu Ling New Development Areas Fanling North, Kwu Tung, Ta Kwu Ling

Closed Area

What are new development areas? It is part of the North East New Territories study (NENT) Identified Kwu Tung North (KTN), Fanling North (FLN) and Ping Che/Ta Kwu Ling (PC/TKL) as suitable New Development Areas (NDAs) Three-in-one scheme = an integral whole with shared community facilities, infrastructure and reprovisioning arrangements Aim at coping with the increasing housing demand, job opportunities and population growth

Kwu Tung North Rail-based new town development Centred around Kwu Tung station along Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Development theme: a boundary town To accommodate 100,000 population Creating 16,000 jobs

Fanling North New town development / residential extension of Sheung Shui / Fanling Development theme: riverside town To accommodate 80,000 population To provide 2,500 jobs

Ping Che / Ta Kwu Ling Reception area for industrial / open storage displaced by the development of KTN and FLN Creating 2,300 jobs

Locational advantages of NDAs Situated at the northeastern part of New Territories South of the Frontier Closed Area Proximity to boundary- crossing facilities Can enhance economic interactions between China and Hong Kong

Major infrastructure development in NNT 2,400 ha of land released from the existing Closed Area progressingly from 2010 Themes of strengthening nature conservation Conserving cultural and heritage resources Promoting sustainable uses Lok Ma Chau Loop New piece of land obtained after Shenzhen River improvement project Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai Cross-boundary Control Point New control point expected to open in 2018 New connecting road to Tolo Highway via Fanling Highway Provide alternate route to NE New Territories Convenient access to the PC/TWL NDA

Proposed land use in NDAs Higher education uses / research park To provide a supportive learning environment To attract more Mainland and international students and skilled professionals to study and work in HK KTN is a more desirable location Special industries To ensure a strong and diversified economic base for HK To cater for land-extensive operations or investments

Positive economic impacts Provide job opportunities by building new towns and new industrial areas proximity to the Shenzhen and Zhujiang Delta attracts more investment Facilitate the development of the local economy Tourism can be developed due to preservation of the historical sites As the burden of other Border Crossing Points (口岸) have been eased, the cross border logistic industry can be benefited

Positive social impacts Better intercity transport, e.g. the proposed new BCP at Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai (口岸/邊境管制站) can ease the burden of other BCP like the Lok Ma Chau BCP. Improved accessibility, e.g. the construction of railway station in Kwu Tung (古洞) As historical sites in the area are preserved for education purpose More recreational facilities are available for people, e.g. holiday camp, village life experience or retirement village are planned to replace the disused schools at Ma Tso Lung, Man Kam To, Ta Ku Ling, Lin Ma Hang; and Sha Tau Kok.

Negative social impacts Destroy the natural beauty / the scenery of rural landscapes Affect the peaceful life of the local residents Urban encroachment / unplanned urban settlements may cause serious pollution problems (noise, visual, air, solid waste) Resettlement of the local residents is necessary May receive strong opposition due to strong social ties Some ancestor’s homes / graveyards have to be removed / relocated Rising land price increases production costs of farmers

Positive environmental impacts Build up a "Green Buffer" between the two cities Protect the natural environment and wildlife habitat Build historical trails Protect the historical sites Land assembly of the disperse abandoned land Carry out project to improve the swamp’s environment Protect the living environment for migratory bird

Negative environmental impacts Reduction in farmland in local villagers Pollution problem will become more serious e.g. water / air / land Spoil the natural beauty Channelization of river may destroy the ecosystem or aquatic system / wildlife habitat In areas of high ecological value, e.g. Long Valley Affect the migratory bird Loss of vegetation cover during construction Accelerate flooding in northern New Territories

How to achieve sustainable development To provide better living environment People-oriented community Environmentally-friendly transport Mitigation measures and monitoring plans to protect areas of high ecological / cultural heritage value