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Topic: SCMP: Border Zone and ecotourism 開發邊境禁區 (Read 636 times) |
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Andrew
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SCMP: Border Zone and ecotourism 開發邊境禁區
« on: Sep 10th, 2005, 8:25am » |
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This is in the SCMP today - it will be interesting to see how this develops in a context of ecotourism - or just more development!
Andrew
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Buffer zone on border likely to be opened up
CHLOE LAI
About 2,000 hectares of border land - closed to the public for half a century - is set to be opened up under a government plan to promote ecotourism and low-density development in the New Territories.
The land, a mixture of farms, wetlands, villages and rugged hills, represents about 70 per cent of the restricted area adjoining the border with Shenzhen.
The move, which may be announced in next month's policy address, follows a government study that concluded keeping such a large area closed was now hard to justify. The study also found that security would not be jeopardised as the problem of illegal immigrants - which the closed area was originally designed to combat - was largely under control.
A government source said about 800 hectares, including the land around the Sha Tau Kok, Lok Ma Chau and Lowu border crossings, would remain closed. The divided town of Sha Tau Kok would also stay closed, despite calls from district councillors and lawmakers for it to be opened, at least partly.
Heung Yee Kuk chairman Lau Wong-fat said he had discussed opening the border zone with Donald Tsang Yam-kuen when kuk representatives met the chief executive on Wednesday.
"I believe [he] will mention how to develop the border zones when he delivers his first policy address next month," he said.
The news could set off a new battle between conservationists - emboldened by their success in preventing the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation from building a viaduct across the Long Valley wetlands - and developers and villagers wanting the best value for their land.
The source said it was unlikely that any new towns or big developments would be allowed in the area. Most of the agricultural area would be kept, and sites with high conservation value would still be protected. Village expansion and some low-rise development would be permitted.
"The prevailing view is to maintain the status quo of the zoning of most of the land," the source said, adding the changes would promote ecotourism.
The closed area was established in the early 1950s as a buffer against a huge influx of people fleeing turmoil on the mainland.
But the government source said: "Mainlanders nowadays do not sneak into Hong Kong. They cross the border by using two-way permits or the individual travellers' scheme."
Roger Tang Man-hung, former vice-president of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners, said the ecosystem at the border would be severely damaged, if not destroyed, by human intrusion.
"After being closed to the public for so many years, the land has established its own ecosystem," he said. He also warned that many so-called ecotourism projects were destructive. "In the mind of the government, they think ecotourism is conservation. This is wrong."
The future of the Lok Ma Chau Loop - the no-man's land on the border formed by realignment of the Shenzhen River for flood protection - was not part of the study, the source said.
Hong Kong and Shenzhen officials have already agreed to set up a group to study the feasibility of developing the 100-hectare zone.
Published in the South China Morning Post. Copyright © 2005. All rights reserved.
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Webcreeper
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Re: SCMP article - Border Zone and ecotourism
« Reply #1 on: Sep 10th, 2005, 1:49pm » |
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6/9/05 明報 Mingpao (via Yahoo)
開發落馬洲河套區拍板
【明報專訊】討論了近20年的港深邊境開發終見成效。港府與深圳市政府代表昨日 召開工作會議後，「拍板」決定開發落馬洲河套區，並成立聯合研究小組，先在該 地進行環境評估工作，確保開發不會破壞當地的生態環境。
房屋及規劃地政局常任秘書長劉吳惠蘭昨與深圳市代表開會後宣布，由於落馬洲河 套區具發展潛力，對深圳及香港的發展有利，故兩地政府已落實進行開發，並成立 聯合研究小組，研究發展方向。
設環評小組確保不破壞環境
劉太補充，由於該區擁有巨大的生態價值，研究小組轄下會另設環評小組，由香港環保署牽頭，確保開發不會破壞該地環境。深圳副市長卓欽銳昨 日亦承諾，深圳政府會以「積極慎重」的方式進行開發。
政黨曾提多項發展建議
事實上，過去多年港府及各政黨都曾就河套區的發展，提出多項建議，但一直未能 落實。2003年政府公布《香港2030︰規劃遠景與策略》諮詢文件時，其中一項建議 便是在河套區興建會展館及貿易博覽中心，設立新商業區，或是設立「大學城」。
港區人大代表鄭耀棠曾建議將河套區發展為中醫藥研究中心。而民建聯議員早前會 見特首曾蔭權，就10月公布的施政報告提交意見時，則建議在河套區發展高科技中 心，或興建大型購物商場。
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Little Dolphin
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Re: SCMP: Border Zone and ecotourism 開發邊境禁區
« Reply #2 on: Sep 10th, 2005, 10:29pm » |
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Hope the government and the public will truly protect this piece of paradise and the creatures living within. 
但願政府與大眾盡力保護這片淨土，以及在那裏生活了千百代的眾生。
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Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
--- John Donne (1572-1631)
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