An application has been filed with the Town Planning Board to rezone certain Government Land along Bowen Road from its current Green Belt zoning in order to allow for the construction of private vehicle access road to a single residential property development .  If approved, the development would result in the destruction of significant public green space along Bowen Road and set an undesirable precedent for similar applications.  Accordingly, we are seeking your assistance to write to Town Planning Board and voice your objections before the August 22, 2014 deadline.  A form of objection letter is set forth below for your convenience.   We would encourage you to tailor your objection and include any further reasons you consider appropriate and examples of why the current green space is important to you.  Please also feel free to forward this link to others who you think might be interested. Thank you for your support.

最近寶雲道17號業主向城規會申請在路旁的綠化地帶興建一條私人通路進入大宅。該規劃申請一旦獲批，將破壞香港重要的綠色公共空間，及開極壞的先例。所以我們懇請您在2014年8月22日前向城規會表達反對的意見。您可選擇聯署以下的反對信，或親自撰文列出反對的理由及這片綠色空間對你的重要性。僅請將以下聯署信轉傳給有興趣的人士。謝謝你的支持！

 

Planning Application 規劃申請 http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb/en/plan_application/A_H12_28.html

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[I/We] object to Town Planning Board Application A/H12/28 for the following reasons:

我 / 我們基於以下原因，反對在寶雲道17號毗連政府土地興建行車通道(規劃申請編號A/H12/28)。 

 

● The affected area is one of the most beautiful stretches on Bowen Road, one of Hong Kong’s most popular hiking and fitness trails. The proposed access road would lead to irreparable visual and environmental damage, causing real and lasting damage to the public’s enjoyment of this rare green amenity close to a very dense urban area.

寶雲道是全港其中一條最受歡迎的步行徑，受影響的位置正正是其中最美麗的一段，是擠逼的城市內難得的綠色休憩空間。擬建的道路將永久破壞該處的景觀及環境，公眾不再能享受該處的自然美景。

 

●  The proposed area is currently government land zoned as Green Belt, which has a presumption against development.  Approval of this application would set an undesirable precedent for similar applications.  In addition, construction of a private road on Green Belt land provides no planning benefits to the community.

 申請地盤位於綠化地帶。按照一般推定，「綠化地帶」內是不准進行發展的，批准是次申請將開極壞先例。而且，地盤全屬政府土地，擬建的道路卻主要是服務寶雲道17號的業主，沒有為公眾帶來增益，實在不能為此在綠化地帶大興土木。

 

● Bowen Road is a narrow road with limited passing places and high pedestrian usage.  As such, Bowen Road is unsuited for any increase in traffic.

 寶雲道路窄，又少避車處，而且經常有行人遊覽及跑步，實在不宜再增加車流。

 

●  To support such a roadway on the steep slope would require very significant civil works, including cutting into the hill and the construction of retaining walls and/or very large support columns. The site plan provided is therefore highly deceiving, as it shows none of that infrastructure. The Applicant must provide site sections and realistic renderings for the TPB and the public to have a full appreciation of the proposed roadway’s visual and environment impact.

 申請人提交的地盤平面圖有誤導市民之嫌。在斜坡興建道路，勢必鏟平山坡、增建護土牆及支撐柱，可是現時申請的文件並無提及以上工程。申請人必須提交準確的圖則，讓城規會委員及公眾能真正審視擬建道路的景觀影響。

 

● The Applicant’s proposal to fell 113 trees (accounting for nearly 70% of all the 163 affected trees on the site) in a landscape sensitive area would result in adverse and irreversible landscape and visual impacts.  The Applicant’s proposal to replant trees off-site is unacceptable and cannot be considered as appropriate compensatory replanting.

 計劃將砍伐多達113棵樹木，佔地盤內163棵樹木中的7成，將永久破壞該處的景觀。即使申請人計劃在申請地盤外栽植樹木，亦絕不能補償工程對如此景觀敏感位置的破壞。

 

●  Town Planning Board rejected a proposal for vehicular access to this house in 2002 (Application A/H12/14) for the sake of preserving the existing natural landscape and road safety.

 城規會拒批興建道路早有先例。會方曾在2002年基於保護現有自然照觀及道路安全(申請編號:A/H12/14) ，拒絕讓申請人興建道路通往寶雲道17號大宅。城規會今次理應以相同原則否決申請。

 

Accordingly, [I/we] request that Town Planning Board reject this Application in order to protect the public interest and preserve one of Hong Kong’s most popular walking routes.

基於上述原因，我 / 我們 要求城規會否決申請，以保障公眾利益及保護香港其中一條最受歡迎的步行徑。

 

*** Please write down your address in the row "City" for any update from TPB about this application.

請在City 該欄填寫地址，方便日後城規會提供有關申請的新消息。

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About ABHK 開於美港聯盟

Alliance for a Beautiful Hong Kong (ABHK) aims to promote aesthetic values and the integrity of the natural environment in Hong Kong's public areas, both urban and rural, by being keen guardians of natural beauty where it exists and demanding gooddesign in man-made structures. ABHK incorporated in 2012 as successor to Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group founded in 2007.

美港聯盟致力守護香港市區和郊野自然環境的美態和完整；同時爭取人造建築物設計優雅。美港聯盟於 2012 年組成以接替於2007 年成立之龍虎山自然面貌關注組。

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