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Green groups jointly call for extension of proposed Tung Chung River Nature Park 環團聯合要求擴大東涌河畔公園範圍 The Town Planning Board will discuss the Tung Chung Valley Outline Zoning Plan No. S/I-TCV/1 tomorrow. Green groups will argue that there is a need to extend the Tung Chung River Nature Park so that it covers both the eastern and western sections of the river, as well as the estuary. A river park is included in the zoning plan for Tung Chung Valley covering only the eastern section of Tung Chung Valley. Zoned OU (For River Parks only), it is expected to be managed by the Drainage Services Department. The western section of the river and the estuary are zoned for conservation uses including Coastal Protection Area (CPA) and Conservation Area (CA). However, Government has itself admitted many times that under the current planning and environmental laws, it is unable to safeguard private land from environmental destruction even when zoned for conservation uses. Unless private land along the river banks and estuary are resumed under the New Town development plan, and managed and patrolled by government departments as part of the River Park, these areas would be doomed. Over the past two decades we observed a proliferation of incompatible developments and eco-vandalism in Tung Chung River Valley. Ecologically degraded land areas increased from 4.8% in 2007 to approximately 13% in 2015. The green groups therefore propose that the western section of the river and estuary should also be included under the zoning of OU (For River Parks only) and manage the area as a park. To implement this proposal, the Government would need to resume the private land along the Tung Chung River and the estuary as part of the Tung Chung New Town Extension Development Plan, and manage the extended Tung Chung River Nature Park as a public amenity for leisure, recreation and appreciation of nature, as well as a drainage facility to control flooding. The additional land acquisition cost is estimated at $300 million. This proposal will benefit the land owners, as well as local residents and visitors. The green groups’ proposal to extend the River Nature Park will ensure the long term sustainability of Tung Chung River and the estuary as a natural resource for the use and enjoyment by existing and future residents of Tung Chung New Town, protect ecologically sensitive habitats, and allow the management of local flood hydraulics. Tung Chung River largely retained its natural state from Hong Kong’s second and third highest peaks, all the way down to the shallow estuary in Tung Chung Bay. It offers one of the few remaining natural low land habitats and is exceptionally rich in aquatic and coastal biodiversity. It includes many rare and endangered species, such as the Philippine Neon Goby (Stiphodon atropurpureum 紫身枝牙鰕虎魚), Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb (Acrossocheilus beijiangensis 北江光唇魚), Chinese Horseshoe Crab (Tachypleus tridentatus 中國鱟), Seaweed Pipefish (Syngnathus schlegeli 舒氏海龍), Swinhoe’s Egret (Egretta eulophotes 黃嘴白鷺), as well as the Common Birdwing (Troides helena 裳鳳蝶) and Collared Crow (Corvus torquatusis白頸鴉). Designing Hong Kong 城規會將於明日討論東涌谷分區規劃大綱圖（S/I-TCV/1）。環團認為有需要將東涌河畔公園覆蓋整條東涌河（包括東、西面河段）及其河口。 東涌谷的分區計劃大綱圖中，河畔公園僅覆蓋東涌谷的東面。該部分劃為「其他指定用途（只適用於「河畔公園」）」，擬將由渠務署管理。 西面的河流和河口規劃為保育的土地用途，包括「海岸保護區」及「自然保育區」。不過，近年保育用地多次受到破壞，政府必須承認現時的規劃和環境法例，難以保護具保育價值的私人土地免受破壞。 除非在新巿鎮擴展計劃中收購河岸和河口的私人土地用作河畔公園，並由相關的政府部門管理和監察，否則這些地方將會受到破壞。過去二十多年，我們觀察到與東涌河流不相容的發展和生態破壞的激增。受破壞的土地由2007年的4.8%上升至2015年的13%。 因此，環團建議將西面的河流和河口都劃作「其他指定用途（只適用於「河畔公園」）」。為了實踐這個建議，政府需要在東涌新巿鎮擴展計劃中回購沿東涌河及河口的私人土地，擴大擬建的東涌河畔公園，並管理這個公園，以作為公眾能欣賞自然環境的休閒康樂場所，同時設置相應的防洪設施。 我們估算過額外收購土地的成本約為3億 。有關計劃將會有利土地持有人、本地居民和遊客。 環團的建議可確保東涌河和河口受到可持續的保育，讓現在和未來的東涌新巿鎮居民能欣賞和享受自然環境，保護敏感的生境，並可設立相應的防洪設施。 東涌河是香港少數保持著天然狀態的河流系統。東涌河發源自九百多米的鳯凰山和大東山〈分別是香港第二和第三高峰〉，從河源到東涌灣的河口形成連續和貫通的高山至河口海岸的整全河流生態系統，孕育不少高保育價值的物種，包括紫身枝牙鰕虎魚(Stiphodon atropurpureum) 、北江光唇魚(Acrossocheilus beijiangensis)、中國鱟〈馬蹄蟹〉(Tachypleus tridentatus)、舒氏海龍(Syngnathus schlegeli) 、黃嘴白鷺 (Egretta eulophotes), 裳鳳蝶 (Troides helena) 及白頸鴉（Corvus torquatusis）等。 支持團體： 東涌谷分區規劃大綱圖（顯示土地用途）及地段索引圖（顯示業權），兩圖展示了政府建議8.45公頃的河畔公園和環團建議更為完整的21.5公頃的河畔公園。 東涌谷的分區計劃大綱圖在2016年1月8日刊憲，東涌河畔公園僅覆蓋東涌谷的東面（藍色虛線）。該部分劃為「其他指定用途（只適用於「河畔公園」）」。 環團現建議將西面的河流和河口（紅色虛線）都劃作「其他指定用途（只適用於「河畔公園」）」，並由政府回購擴展部分的私人土地。 The zoning plan (land use) and the lot index plan (land ownership) show the park proposed by Government (8.45Ha) and the bigger park proposed by green groups (21.5Ha). In the zoning plan for the Tung Chung Valley gazetted on 08/01/2016, the area zoned “OU (For River Parks only)” covers only the eastern section of the Tung Chung Valley (blue striped outline). The green groups push for the western section of the river and the estuary to be added (red dotted outline) and to resume the private lands within the extended park area. |
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