The government recommends low-density development which incorporates the promotion of ecology and heritage conservation for the 2,400 hectares of land released from the Frontier Closed Area (FCA), a government source revealed yesterday.

The FCA refers to the 2,800 hectares of land along the city's border with the mainland.

"We were told by the locals that they wanted a sustainable development in the area, not a large-scale one," the government source said.

Close to 60 percent of the FCA is of natural landscape, while 20 percent is flatland and 10 percent wetland.

The majority of land (80 percent) is owned by the SAR government. In September 2006, the Security Bureau proposed to reduce the FCA from 2,800 to 800 hectares.

In January 2008, the bureau further reduced the FCA from 800 to 400 hectares, thus releasing 2,400 hectares of land for development.

The source added the government has identified three areas that have development potentials: the Lok Ma Chau Loop, Lok Ma Chau border checkpoint and Kong Nga Po.

The three areas are flatlands that belong to the government and have road access, the source explained.

The first stage of public consultation on the land use of the FCA will start on Friday, the day when the government will also submit the proposal to the Town Planning Board for discussion.

The government will compile a draft development plan for the second stage of consultation early 2009.

Environmental group the Conservancy Association welcomed the land-use proposal.

"From the proposal we can see that the government is willing to preserve the environment and cultural heritage in the FCA," Peter Li, campaign manager of the Conservancy Association told China Daily.

However, he urged the government to have a concrete policy and measures to protect the heritage in the FCA as soon as possible.

(HK Edition 05/14/2008 page1)