The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 13) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (see Note 2).
 
     Twenty-four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 14 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:          

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Lido Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach and Kadoorie Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2.
 
     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.  Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD's dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast).
 
Note 1: Lifesaving services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 21 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from June 1. For details, please refer to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's Special Announcement (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/beach/index.html).
 
Note 2: This refers to Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach which has no lifesaving service.

     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Pok Fu Lam Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Pok Fu Lam area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (June 13).

     The planning scheme area, covering about 413 hectares, is bounded by Mount Davis Road to the north and Pok Fu Lam Country Park to the east. The area extends to the waterfront to its south and west.
      
     The approved OZP has incorporated amendments, which mainly involve rezoning the 4.72-hectare site for the proposed Global Innovation Centre by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in Pok Fu Lam. To allow the HKU to review and adjust its proposal in response to the views expressed by the representers during the plan-making process and to consult relevant stakeholders including the local community before submitting its revised proposal for the Government's consideration, the site is zoned "Undetermined" in the interim. Upon the HKU's completion of the review and engagement with the community on the revised proposal, further rezoning of the site will be processed in accordance with the Town Planning Ordinance.
      
     Other amendments include rezoning narrow strips of land along Victoria Road and a strip of land to the south of Wah Mei House, Wah Fu Estate, to suitable zonings to reflect the existing alignment of Victoria Road and the land grant boundary of Wah Fu Estate.
      
     The Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP have been amended taking into account the above amendments. Opportunity is also taken to update the general information of various land use zones and the planning circumstances, where appropriate.
      
     The approved Pok Fu Lam OZP No. S/H10/23 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Hong Kong District Planning Office, and (iv) the Southern Home Affairs Enquiry Centre.
      
     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centre in North Point. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, June 13, 2025 is 103 (same as yesterday's index).

     â€‹The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Tuen Mun Outline Zoning Plan (OZP). 
      
     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Tuen Mun area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (June 13). 
      
     The planning scheme area, covering an area of about 2 260 hectares, is located at the head of Castle Peak Bay in the North West New Territories. It is bounded by the ridges of Castle Peak to the west, Lam Tei Interchange of Castle Peak Road to the north, and Tai Lam Country Park to the east. To the southeast, it extends to Siu Lam Interchange of Tuen Mun Road, while to the southwest, it extends to the power station at Tap Shek Kok.
      
     The approved OZP has incorporated amendments shown on the draft Tuen Mun OZP No. S/TM/40, which mainly involve (i) rezoning a site to the northwest of Light Rail Transit Goodview Garden Station from "Government, Institution or Community" ("G/IC") to "Residential (Group A)29" ("R(A)29") for private residential development; (ii) rezoning a site being part of the residential development 'Oceania Heights' from "G/IC" to "R(A)" to reflect the as-built conditions; (iii) rezoning a site to the east of Tuen Mun Town Plaza from "Green Belt" ("GB") and an area shown as 'Road' to "R(A)30" for private residential development; and (iv) rezoning a site to the west of Hing Fu Street from "GB" to "G/IC(5)" for columbarium use.
      
     The Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP have been amended to reflect the above amendments. Opportunity is also taken to update the general information of various land use zonings and the planning circumstances, where appropriate.
      
     The approved Tuen Mun OZP No. S/TM/41 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Tuen Mun and Yuen Long West District Planning Office, (iv) the Tuen Mun District Office and (v) the Tuen Mun Rural Committee.
      
     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centre in North Point. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed on the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     Twenty-seven landlords of subdivided units (SDUs), who contravened Part IVA of the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance (Cap. 7), pleaded guilty and were fined a total of $75,700 on June 6 and today (June 13) at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts. Since the Ordinance came into force, the Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) has continuously strengthened enforcement actions and has prosecuted a total of 1 077 cases to date. Among the 742 cases dealt with by the court, all were successfully convicted, which involved a total of 646 SDU landlords with fines ranging from $400 to $34,800, amounting to a total of $1,841,610. In addition, 335 cases are pending a hearing.
 
     The offences of these 27 landlords include (1) failing to submit a Notice of Tenancy (Form AR2) to the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation within 60 days after the term of the regulated tenancy commenced; and (2) requesting the tenant to pay money other than the types permitted under the Ordinance (i.e. requiring the tenant to pay an amount of rent for the second-term tenancy exceeding the maximum amount of rent permitted under the Ordinance). One of the landlords committed 16 offences under (1) and (2) and was fined $13,000.

     The RVD earlier discovered that the landlords failed to comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance. Upon an in-depth investigation and evidence collection, the RVD prosecuted the landlords.
 
     A spokesman for the RVD reiterated that SDU landlords must comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance, including prohibiting landlords from doing any act calculated to interfere with the peace or comfort of members of the tenant's household, with the intention of causing the tenant to give up occupation of the SDU; or requiring the tenant to pay an amount of rent for the second-term tenancy exceeding the maximum amount of rent permitted under the Ordinance, and also reminded tenants of their rights under the Ordinance, including a four-year (i.e. two years plus two years) security of tenure. He also stressed that the RVD will continue to take resolute enforcement action against any contraventions of the Ordinance. Apart from following up on reported cases, the RVD has been adopting a multipronged approach to proactively identify, investigate and follow up on cases concerning landlords who are suspected of contravening the Ordinance. In particular, the RVD has been requiring landlords of regulated tenancies to provide information and reference documents of their tenancies for checking whether they have complied with the requirements of the Ordinance. If a landlord, without reasonable excuse, refuses to provide the relevant information or neglects the RVD's request, the landlord commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine at level 3 ($10,000) and to imprisonment for three months. Depending on the actual circumstances, and having regard to the information and evidence collected, the RVD will take appropriate actions on individual cases, including instigating prosecution against suspected contraventions of the Ordinance. In addition, the RVD has started a new round of publicity and education work to enhance public awareness about the key offences and penalties, emphasising that the RVD proactively checks whether landlords have committed the offences under the Ordinance. 

     To help curb illegal acts as soon as possible, members of the public should report to the RVD promptly any suspected cases of contravening the relevant requirements. Reporting can be made through the telephone hotline (2150 8303), by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk), by fax (2116 4920), by post (15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon), or in person (visiting the Tenancy Services Section office of the RVD at Room 3816-22, 38/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, and please call 2150 8303 to make an appointment). Furthermore, the RVD has provided a form (Form AR4) (www.rvd.gov.hk/doc/en/forms/ar4.pdf) on its website to facilitate SDU tenants' reporting to the RVD.
 
     The RVD reminds that pursuant to the Ordinance, a regulated cycle of regulated tenancies is to comprise two consecutive regulated tenancies (i.e. the first-term tenancy and second-term tenancy) for an SDU, and the term of each regulated tenancy is two years. A tenant of a first-term tenancy for an SDU is entitled to be granted a second-term tenancy of the regulated cycle, thus enjoying a total of four years of security of tenure. The RVD has been issuing letters enclosing relevant information to the landlords and tenants concerned of regulated tenancies in batches, according to the expiry time of their first-term tenancies, to assist them in understanding the important matters pertaining to the second-term tenancy, and to remind them about the procedures that need to be followed about two months prior to the commencement of the purported second-term tenancy as well as their respective obligations and rights under the Ordinance. These landlords and tenants may also visit the dedicated page for the second-term tenancy on the RVD's website (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/tenancy_matters/second_term_tenancy.html) for the relevant information, including a concise guide, brochures, tutorial videos and frequently asked questions. The landlords and tenants concerned are also advised to familiarise themselves with the relevant statutory requirements and maintain close communication regarding the second-term tenancy for handling the matters properly and in a timely manner according to the Ordinance.
 
     For enquiries related to regulated tenancies, please call the telephone hotline (2150 8303) or visit the RVD's webpage (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/our_services/part_iva.html) for the relevant information.