Contextual background of the New Territories

Liber Research Community

Alternative to “Lantau Tomorrow Vision”

Geography of The New Territories

Land Area of the New Territories (in green):

980 sq. km

89% of land mass of Hong Kong (1107 sq. km.)

New Town Areas(circled in red) (Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun, Tai Po, Fanling/Sheung Shui, Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai, Tseung Kwan O, Tung Chung)

136 sq. km

14% of land mass of the New Territories

Villages27 “Heung”s591 Recognised villages

Country Park Area

434 sq. km

44% of land mass of the New Territories

Population in the New Territories

Existing population of the New Territories in 2017:

3 844 800

52.6% of population of Hong Kong (7 306 900)

Projected population of the New Territories in 2026:

4 280 000

54.7% of population of Hong Kong (7 830 000)

Source: Projections of Population Distribution 2018-2026

Land use planning in the New Territories

Land covered by statutory plans in the New Territories

501 sq. kmN.B. some statutory plans overlaps with country parks

Areas with their and uses not regulated by statutory plans in the New Territories:

34,554 hectares (346 sq. km)

Land area with their land uses NOT regulated by any plans (in red)

9,455 hectares (94.5 sq. km)

Land area with partial statutory protection (with OZP but no DPA Plans) in the NT (in striped orange)

25,099 hectares (251 sq. km)

Remark: There are two main types of statutory plans, namely “Outline Zoning Plans” (OZPs) and “Development Permission Areas” (DPA Plans). The Government has enforcement power against misuse of land in DPA Plans but not OZPs.

Major zonings in New Territories

Actual land use/land status in the New Territories (Current and planned uses)

BrownfieldsFormer agricultural land in the New Territories (NT) which has been converted to other uses

1,521 hectares

vs Official: ~1300 hectares

New Development Areas (NDAs)- planned uses

1,238 hectares

Under-utilized or Vacant Land in the NT

241 hectares

Village-type Development

3,361 hectares

Military Land in the New Territories

2,474 hectares

Agricultural land in the New Territories

Agricultural land hoarded by developers (Example of San Tin, Yuen Long, an ecologically sensitve area)

398 hectares