An environmental impact assessment (EIA) report relating to the San Tin Technopole is available for the public to review from today until March 2, the Government has announced.

The Government highlighted that although some 240 hectares of the proposed development area for the San Tin Technopole are located within the Wetland Conservation Area and the Wetland Buffer Area, over 60% of the land is on brownfield sites, filled fishponds and previously developed sites such as boundary control points. It outlined that the remaining areas comprise about 90 hectares of fishponds, half of which are abandoned or inactive with regard to producing fish.

The EIA report proposes measures to mitigate potential impacts on the area’s ecology and habitats, and outlines a holistic wetland compensation strategy to recoup the loss of wetland functions arising from the development.

One proposed mitigation measure involves setting up the Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park, which is intended to enhance the overall ecological value, biodiversity and connectivity of the Deep Bay area, enabling the coexistence of development and conservation. Together with the establishment of a Fisheries Research Centre in the technopole, modernised aquaculture will be promoted to enhance fisheries.

Separately, a public engagement report and a revised recommended outline development plan for the land use proposal in relation to the San Tin Technopole were also issued today.

Overall, members of the public welcomed the land use proposal. Taking into account the views gathered, the Government refined the recommended outline development plan.

Statutory town planning and other procedures for the San Tin Technopole project will commence progressively this year, the Government added.