CAVERN MASTER PLAN INFORMATION NOTE STRATEGIC … · S/K8/21 and the Approved Tsz Wan Shan, Diamond Hill & San Po Kong OZP No. S/K11/29. While majority of the southern half portion

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Information Note (SCVA26 – Lion Rock West)

CAVERN MASTER PLAN – INFORMATION NOTE

STRATEGIC CAVERN AREA NO. 26 – LION ROCK WEST

This Information Note describes the characteristics, key development opportunities and constraints

of Strategic Cavern Area No. 26 - Lion Rock West (the SCVA). It indicates the potential land uses

suitable for cavern development within the area, but would not pre-empt other possible land uses put

forward by the project proponents with justifications. It also denotes the extent of potential portal

locations. The spatial context of the SCVA is illustrated in the Reference Drawing appended to this

Information Note.

Reference should be made to the Explanatory Statement of the Cavern Master Plan for its

background and purposes, as well as the definition and delineation criteria of SCVAs.

1. Location Plan

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2. Strategic Cavern Area Details

Outline Zoning Plans (OZPs): Approved Wang Tau Hom and Tung Tau OZP No.

S/K8/21

Approved Tsz Wan Shan, Diamond Hill & San Po

Kong OZP No. S/K11/29

Area: 110.0 ha

Maximum elevation in the SCVA: +494 mPD

Minimum elevation in the SCVA: +66 mPD

3. District Context

Location

The SCVA is located at the south of Lion Rock, which is situated in East Kowloon. Lion Rock

Country Park is to the north of the SCVA, Beacon Hill to the west, Kowloon Tong to the

southwest, Wong Tai Sin to the southeast and Tsz Wan Shan to the east.

The SCVA is generally hilly with a maximum elevation of about +494 mPD. About half of the

SCVA encroaches onto Lion Rock Country Park. Lion Rock Park is located in the

southwestern portion of the SCVA. Within the park there are Lion Rock High Level No. 1

Fresh Water Primary Service Reservoir, Lion Rock Low Level Fresh Water Primary Service

Reservoir and the Ma Chai Hang Pumping Station is located nearby.

To the southwest of the SCVA, Kowloon Tong is mainly comprised of residential communities

with low- to medium-rise developments including Yau Yat Tsuen (about 1.4 km to the

southwest of the SCVA) and One Beacon Hill (about 700 m to the southwest of the SCVA).

While to the southeast and east of the SCVA, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan are also major

residential communities with high-rise residential developments, including Wang Tau Hom

Estate (about 400 m to the south of the SCVA), Chuk Yuen (North) Estate (near the

southeastern boundary of the SCVA), clusters of private residential buildings along Sheung

Fung Street (e.g. Fung Wong Chuen Buildings about 500m to the southeast of the SCVA), and

Fung Tak Estate (about 650 m to the southeast of the SCVA).

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In the proximity of the SCVA, there are a number of key Government, Institution and

Community (GIC) facilities supporting the development of Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and

Tsz Wan Shan as well as the territory. These include Hong Kong Baptist Hospital and Hong

Kong Baptist University (both about 450 m to the southwest of the SCVA), City University of

Hong Kong (about 1.2 km to the southwest of the SCVA), Wong Tai Sin Hospital and Our

Lady of Maryknoll Hospital (about 250 m to the southeast of the SCVA) and clusters of service

reservoirs, such as Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir (at the southern boundary of

the SCVA), Lion Rock High Level No. 2 Fresh Water Primary Service Reservoir (about 150 m

to the southwest of the SCVA), Fung Wong Fresh Water Service Reservoir & Fung Wong Salt

Water Service Reservoir (about 150 m to the east of the SCVA) and Diamond Hill Fresh Water

Service Reservoir & Diamond Hill Salt Water Service Reservoir (about 250 m to the east of the

SCVA). Under the “Relocation of Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs

to Caverns – Feasibility Study”, the facilities have been proposed for relocation to caverns in

the hillside to the north of Chuk Yuen (North) Estate in Wong Tai Sin, which is within the

boundary of the SCVA.

Access

The SCVA is accessed from its eastern and southern edges via Shatin Pass Road, Chui Chuk

Street and a restricted access road to Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir. Regional

connections could be routed through the nearby Lung Cheung Road and Lion Rock Tunnel.

The MTR Kwun Tong Line and Shatin to Central Link (under construction) serve the locality

of Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan. The nearest stations include Lok Fu

Station (Kwun Tong Line; about 700 m to the south of the SCVA) and Wong Tai Sin Station

(Kwun Tong Line; about 600 m to the southeast of the SCVA). Connecting minibus and bus

services to the MTR stations are also established in the locality to serve the existing residential

developments.

Land Use Zoning

The SCVA straddles two OZPs including the Approved Wang Tau Hom & Tung Tau OZP No.

S/K8/21 and the Approved Tsz Wan Shan, Diamond Hill & San Po Kong OZP No. S/K11/29.

While majority of the southern half portion of the SCVA is zoned “Green Belt" (“GB"), an

area in the southern part of the SCVA is zoned “Residential (Group A)”, and another area in

the southwestern part of the SCVA is zoned “Government, Institution or Community” (“G/IC”)

and “Open Space” (“O”). The remainder of the SCVA is not covered by any Statutory Plan

and is designated as Country Park. The zonings of the surrounding areas include “GB”,

“Residential (Group A)”, “G/IC” and “O” to the southeast and southwest, with the rest being

Lion Rock Country Park.

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For details of the latest land use zonings on OZPs, please refer to the Town Planning Board

website (http://www.tpb.gov.hk).

There is currently no existing cavern facility within the SCVA. The Diamond Hill Fresh Water

& Salt Water Service Reservoirs are proposed to be relocated to caverns within the SCVA.

4. Summary of Characteristics of Strategic Cavern Area

4.1. Boundary

The northern boundary of the SCVA is defined by valley topography, and also by an extent of

800 m from the potential portal locations. The eastern boundary of the SCVA is defined by Fat

Chong Temple and Tsz Wan Shan 400 kV Substation. The western boundary of the SCVA is

defined by Lion Rock Tunnel and Lion Rock Tunnel Road. The southern boundary of the

SCVA is defined by Lung Cheung Road, Chui Chuk Street, access road to Lion Rock Park, Ma

Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir, and residential developments including Tsui Chuk

Garden and Chuk Yuen (North) Estate .

4.2. Geology

The solid geology of the SCVA is primarily fine-grained granite, which belongs to Kowloon

Granite within the southern portion and Shui Chuen O Granite within the northern portion.

The SCVA is with the rock type that is suitable for cavern development. A number of

geological features, such as faults, photolineaments and quartz veins, are identified within and

in the areas surrounding the SCVA. The excavated fine-grained granite within the SCVA is

suitable for reuse as construction aggregate.

Further geological information of the SCVA can be found on the 1:20,000-scale Geological

Map Sheet 11 (Hong Kong & Kowloon) published by the Geotechnical Engineering Office,

Civil Engineering and Development Department.

4.3. Planning

The SCVA is close to the existing urban development in Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and

Tsz Wan Shan. Given that the SCVA is well connected to the rest of the territory by highway

and railway, there is potential for the SCVA to support the development of these areas.

http://www.tpb.gov.hk/

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The southwestern, southern and southeastern sides of the SCVA are the major residential

development areas in Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan. These areas consists

of various low- to high-rise residential developments (e.g. Yau Yat Tsuen, Wang Tau Hom

Estate and Fung Tak Estate) supported by a number of GIC facilities (e.g. university, hospital,

service reservoir, etc.). Should there be any need for providing additional land for residential

use, the SCVA may provide the solution space by, for example, relocating some of the suitable

infrastructure facilities (e.g. service reservoir) to caverns. By doing so, surface land could be

released for other beneficial uses (e.g. residential developments and/or community facilities),

and it could also enable more effective utilisation of land resources in these areas while

preserving the natural landscape in Lion Rock as a natural backdrop to the urban developments

in the locality. The proposed relocation of the Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service

Reservoirs to caverns is one of the examples.

The preliminary proposal is to develop the released site of the existing Diamond Hill Fresh

Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs for housing and other beneficial uses to improve the

community and environment while supporting the sustainable development of Hong Kong.

Community facilities and recreational areas would also be considered as appropriate. Given

that the SCVA is in close proximity to the existing residential developments and this planned

released site, there is potential for the SCVA to support the existing communities by taking

into account the future development in holistic planning for greater synergy effects, for

example, by providing community facilities such as leisure centre/sports centre in caverns if

there are needs in the locality. Project proponents should take into account the latest

development of the Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs relocation

project.

4.4. Environmental

Environmental sensitive receivers to cavern development in the SCVA are the nearby

residential developments (e.g. Tsui Chuk Garden, Pang Ching Court, Tin Wang Court, Tin Ma

Court, Shatin Pass Estate, Chuk Yuen (North) Estate and Fat Chong Temple) and some GIC

facilities (e.g. Wong Tai Sin Hospital, Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, Diamond Hill Kwong

Yum Home for the Aged and Evangel Children’s Home). The SCVA comprises wooded areas

and shrubby hillsides, and encroaches onto Lion Rock Country Park and Water Gathering

Grounds. Beacon Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest is located about 300 m to the

northwest of the SCVA. The Grade 1 historical building of Wong Tai Sin Temple is about

400 m to the southeast of the SCVA. In addition, an identified old footpath, namely “Kowloon

Route (Kowloon City to Sham Chun: Kowloon City to Yuen Chau Kok Ferry Pier Sub-

Section)”, is located to the east of the SCVA. There are natural or modified surface water

courses within the SCVA

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All potential environmental constraints, which may impose restrictions on cavern development,

should be identified and taken into account under the Environmental Impact Assessment

Ordinance (EIAO) and other relevant ordinances, such as the Country Parks Ordinance.

Project proponents are required to take into account the potential environmental constraints

when planning each cavern development project and undertaking the environmental impact

assessment under the EIAO to determine its environmental acceptability, potential

environmental impacts and environmental mitigation measures required.

4.5. Traffic

The SCVA can be accessed from its eastern and southern edges via Shatin Pass Road, Chui

Chuk Street and a restricted access road to Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir.

The SCVA is easily accessible from the primary road network via Chuk Yuen Road, Shatin

Pass Road and Lung Cheung Road. Chuk Yuen Road and Shatin Pass Road are expected to

have capacity to accommodate additional traffic generated by future cavern development

project. Lung Cheung Road, however, is expected to operate with marginal capacity in the

future. From Lung Cheung Road, direct connections can be made with Lion Rock Tunnel

Road, Waterloo Road and expressways in the Kwun Tong area. These connections allow for

good accessibility to the other parts of Hong Kong.

4.6. Other Key Issues / Constraints on Cavern Development

The railway tunnel of Shatin to Central Link passes through the western portion of the SCVA

in a northwest-southeast direction. Owing to the difference in elevation, this tunnel would not

pose any insurmountable constraint to cavern development within the SCVA.

A vehicle tunnel, namely the Lion Rock Tunnel, is about 50 m to the west of the SCVA. A

cable tunnel, namely the CLP Tsz Wan Shan cable tunnel, is about 50 m to the east of the

SCVA. An abandoned tunnel Shelter is located approximately 50 m to the west of the SCVA.

As these tunnels are distant from the SCVA, they would not pose any insurmountable

constraint to cavern development.

5. Potential Land Uses

The potential land uses for the SCVA are as follows:

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Land use Description

Leisure Centre /

Sports Centre

The SCVA is located close to a large population catchment as it

is adjacent to various existing residential developments such as

Tsui Chuk Garden, Pang Ching Court, Chuk Yuen (North)

Estate and the potential released site of the Diamond Hill Fresh

Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs which is preliminarily

proposed for housing development and other beneficial uses.

There is potential for the SCVA to be planned holistically with

these developments by providing supporting community

facilities, such as leisure centre/sports centre to serve the

existing and future population when such a need of the facilities

arises.

Although the potential portal locations are distant from MTR

Lok Fu Station and Wong Tai Sin Station by about 700 m and

600 m and with some differences in elevations, connecting

minibus and bus services are established in the locality to serve

the existing residential developments, which further enhances

the potential for housing such facilities in the SCVA.

Service Reservoir

Kowloon Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan are homes of

various residential developments (e.g. Wang Tau Hom Estate

and Chuk Yuen (North) Estate) and have the potential for

further growth given they are located in an urban setting

equipped with well-established infrastructural systems. There

is thus opportunity to develop suitable land use to support the

potential expansion of these residential areas, by relocating

some of the suitable infrastructure facilities, such as service

reservoir, to caverns.

The adjacent Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service

Reservoirs have been proposed for relocation to caverns in the

SCVA. Subject to the result of the feasibility study, the

relocation could release the surface land for other beneficial

uses and for integration with the future development.

Note: Zoning amendment/planning application may be required to facilitate the pursuit of the

above potential land uses.

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6. Extent of Potential Portal Locations

The extent of the potential portal locations is shown on the Reference Drawing.

The potential portal locations on Chuk Yuen Road and Chui Chuk Street (on the southern edge

of the SCVA) and that on Shatin Pass Road (on the eastern edge of the SCVA) are located

along roadside slopes and access would be provided via a run-in/outs or priority controlled

junctions, depending on the proposed land use. These potential portal locations are with good

accessibility and the adjacent road network should have adequate capacity to accommodate a

range of traffic generating activities.

The potential portal location on the access road to the Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service

Reservoir behind the Tsui Chuk Garden is less accessible, with vehicle access only possible via

the narrow access roads of the Lion Rock Park and Ma Chai Hang Fresh Water Service

Reservoir. The current access would only be suitable for low traffic-generating activities.

Major road upgrading works may be required to support moderate to high traffic-generating

activities that would require dual way vehicle access to the proposed cavern facilities.

There are natural slopes above the potential portal locations. There may be potential natural

terrain hazards in the vicinity which may require further study by the project proponents.

Project proponents should carry out further studies on identifying specific locations of portals

for the proposed cavern development.

7. Concluding Remarks

The SCVA presents an opportunity for locating suitable land uses in rock caverns to serve the

neighbouring and future residential communities (e.g. service reservoirs). Besides, the SCVA

could also be integrated with the future development of the potential released site of the

existing Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water Service Reservoirs to support the existing

residential communities by providing community facilities (e.g. leisure centre/ sports centre).

Project proponents for cavern development should take due consideration of the existing and

proposed residential developments, accessibility for cavern development, environmental

sensitive receivers and the latest development of the Diamond Hill Fresh Water & Salt Water

Service Reservoirs relocation project, to minimise the interfacing issues and bring about

greater synergy and opportunities.

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8. Notes

The Cavern Master Plan and all supporting documents do not exempt project proponents for

cavern development from following the relevant statutory and planning procedures.

Information including the potential land uses and the extent of potential portal locations

indicated in this Information Note should serve as reference materials only. In formulation of

development proposals, project proponents should conduct the necessary studies and

assessments relevant to each project stage. Reference should be made to the “Implementation”

section of the Explanatory Statement of the Cavern Master Plan for further details.

Documents

CAVERN MASTER PLAN INFORMATION NOTE STRATEGIC … · S/K8/21 and the Approved Tsz Wan Shan, Diamond Hill & San Po Kong OZP No. S/K11/29. While majority of the southern half portion