TOWN PLANNING BOARD Minutes of 441st Meeting of the Metro ...

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objected to the application as there was no information regarding the
number of trees to be felled, the tree compensation and protection during
construction period. The District Officer (Kwai Tsing ) advised that the
Temple was a private columbarium under Part B of the “Information on
Private Columbaria” published by the Government and the issue of private
columbaria was highly controversial in the district. While the application
for regularization of a shed and flower rack constructed seemed to be
straightforward, the issue of privately owned columbarium niches by the
Temple would likely be played up. The application was posted at his office
and the Shek Lei Community Hall from 18.3.2011 to 8.4.2011 and no
comment had been received on the application; and
(e) the Planning Department (PlanD)’s views – PlanD had no objection to the
application based on the assessment made in paragraph 12 of the Paper.
The intention of the application was to regularise the as-built situation of a
shed and a flower rack for the Temple. The development was not
considered excessive in scale and no clearance of natural vegetation was
involved. There was no adverse comment from the urban design and
landscape perspectives. Besides, no significant traffic, environmental,
infrastructural, visual and landscape impacts on the surrounding areas were
expected. Regarding the public comment from Designing Hong Kong
Limited objecting to the application on the lack of information on tree
felling, tree compensation and protection, it was noted that both the shed
and the flower rack had been built and no clearance of vegetation was
required. Both the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation and
the Chief Town Planner/Urban Design and Landscape, PlanD had no
objection to the application from conservation and landscape point of view
respectively. Although columbarium use existed within two structures of
the Temple, such use was not the subject of this application. In this regard,
an advisory clause was suggested to advise the applicant to seek the
necessary planning permission from the Board.
6. The Vice-chairman asked whether trees were felled when the structures were
built. Mr. Y. S. Lee replied that when the Short Term Tenancy (STT) covering part of the