Cavern Master Plan

Background

Creating new land is essential to the sustainable development of Hong Kong and cavern development is one of the viable options under the multi-pronged strategy to increase land supply. The hilly terrain with strong rocks in Hong Kong is highly suitable for developing rock caverns, particularly in the fringe of development areas. There is proven local experience in cavern construction as demonstrated by various existing facilities built in Hong Kong.

The Government has prepared a Cavern Master Plan (CMP) to guide and facilitate territory-wide planning on the uses of caverns in Hong Kong. The CMP was first promulgated in 2017. A review and update of the CMP was carried out under the "Pilot Planning and Engineering Study on Development of Selected Strategic Cavern Areas - Feasibility Study" completed by the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) in conjunction with the Planning Department (PlanD) in 2025.

User of the Cavern Master Plan

Any project proponent of development projects considering cavern options can make reference to the CMP when planning/studying their projects or identifying suitable cavern sites.

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Cavern Master Plan

The CMP is a non-statutory plan serving as user guidelines for options on uses of rock caverns and is not a development blueprint.

The CMP delineates Strategic Cavern Areas (SCVAs) that are suitable for the uses of rock caverns in terms of geological suitability, infrastructural support, environmental constraints, etc. It aims to make known these SCVAs and their essential information to project proponents such that they can identify suitable sites and potential uses in rock caverns for development projects considering cavern options as and when needed. The CMP is accompanied by an Explanatory Statement and a set of Information Notes.

Explanatory Statement

The Explanatory Statement provides the key information on the CMP. It sets out the objectives of the CMP, outlines the rationale and methodology of delineating SCVAs, and highlights key issues for project implementation. A list of examples of potential uses in rock caverns is also appended to the Explanatory Statement.

Strategic Cavern Areas

The CMP delineates forty-eight (48) SCVAs, of which 11 are on Hong Kong Island, 5 in Kowloon and 32 in the New Territories (of which 7 on Lantau Island). The sizes of individual SCVAs range from approximately 30 to 200 hectares. The area of SCVAs does not represent the actual developable cavern space and its limit on area directly because provisions have to be made for features like buffer zones between individual facilities, intervening rock pillars for support and adits for portal access and inter-connection, and the proposed usages.

Information Note

For each SCVA, an Information Note is provided to describe the characteristics of and development constraints on the SCVA. The Information Note includes details of the geological, environmental and traffic characteristics and other key issues/constraints on cavern development. It also outlines the extent of potential portal locations. A Reference Drawing is appended to each Information Note to illustrate the spatial context of the information provided.

The CMP, Explanatory Statement and Information Notes collectively serve to fulfil the objectives of facilitating territory-wide planning on the uses of rock caverns and promulgating essential information for project proponents both in the public and private sectors to identify suitable cavern sites for development projects considering cavern options. The CMP will be reviewed and updated as necessary taking account of changing cavern policy, circumstances and development needs.

Any cavern development project, no matter within or outside the SCVAs, should be assessed on individual merits, with due regard to development need, technical feasibility and financial viability, and also in compliance with relevant administrative and regulatory requirements.

Download

Please click the following link to download the Cavern Master Plan and its Explanatory Statement.
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Please click the individual Strategic Cavern Area in the table below to download the respective Information Note and Reference Drawing.

01-Hung Shui HangThis link will open in new window 02-Lam TeiThis link will open in new window 03-Tuen MunThis link will open in new window 04-Kau Keng ShanThis link will open in new window 05-Pak Shek HangThis link will open in new window 06-Siu LamThis link will open in new window 07-Tsing Lung TauThis link will open in new window 08-Sham Tseng SouthThis link will open in new window 09-Ting KauThis link will open in new window 10-Tsing Yi NorthThis link will open in new window 11-Tsing Yi WestThis link will open in new window 12-Tsing Yi SouthThis link will open in new window 13-Tsing Yi CentralThis link will open in new window 14-Tsuen Wan NorthThis link will open in new window 15-Tsuen Wan EastThis link will open in new window 16-Smugglers' RidgeThis link will open in new window 17-Golden HillThis link will open in new window 18-Lower Shing MunThis link will open in new window 19-Ma On ShanThis link will open in new window 20-A Kung KokThis link will open in new window 21-Shek MunThis link will open in new window 22-Tai Wai EastThis link will open in new window 23-Tai Wai WestThis link will open in new window 24-Eagle's NestThis link will open in new window 25-Beacon Hill EastThis link will open in new window 26-Lion Rock WestThis link will open in new window 28-Tai Sheung TokThis link will open in new window 29-Black HillThis link will open in new window 30-Yau TongThis link will open in new window 30-Yau TongThis link will open in new window 31-Chai Wan AuThis link will open in new window 32-Shau Kei WanThis link will open in new window 33-Braemar HillThis link will open in new window 34-Wong Chuk HangThis link will open in new window 35-Bennet's HillThis link will open in new window 36-Nam Long ShanThis link will open in new window 37-Ap Lei ChauThis link will open in new window 38-Tin Wan ShanThis link will open in new window 39-Mount KellettThis link will open in new window 40-Pok Fu LamThis link will open in new window 41-Mount DavisThis link will open in new window 42-Mui WoThis link will open in new window 43-Sham Shui KokThis link will open in new window 44-Siu Ho WanThis link will open in new window 45-Tung Chung EastThis link will open in new window 46-Tung Chung SouthThis link will open in new window 47-Tung Chung WestThis link will open in new window 48-Kau LiuThis link will open in new window
Details
01-Hung Shui Hang 09-Ting Kau 17-Golden Hill 25-Beacon Hill East 33-Braemar Hill 41-Mount Davis
02-Lam Tei 10-Tsing Yi North 18-Lower Shing Mun 26-Lion Rock West 34-Wong Chuk Hang 42-Mui Wo
03-Tuen Mun 11-Tsing Yi West 19-Ma On Shan 27-Fei Ngo Shan 35-Bennet's Hill 43-Sham Shui Kok
04-Kau Keng Shan 12-Tsing Yi South 20-A Kung Kok 28-Tai Sheung Tok 36-Nam Long Shan 44-Siu Ho Wan
05-Pak Shek Hang 13-Tsing Yi Central 21-Shek Mun 29-Black Hill 37-Ap Lei Chau 45-Tung Chung East
06-Siu Lam 14-Tsuen Wan North 22-Tai Wai East 30-Yau Tong 38-Tin Wan Shan 46-Tung Chung South
07-Tsing Lung Tau 15-Tsuen Wan East 23-Tai Wai West 31-Chai Wan Au 39-Mount Kellett 47-Tung Chung West
08-Sham Tseng South 16-Smugglers' Ridge 24-Eagle's Nest 32-Shau Kei Wan 40-Pok Fu Lam 48-Kau Liu

Related Information:

Project proponents can also make reference to the relevant documents or websites as listed below when pursuing cavern development projects.

  1. Development Bureau Technical Circular (Works) No. 2/2024 on Rock Cavern Development
    (https://www.devb.gov.hk/filemanager/technicalcirculars/en/upload/1398/1/C-2024-02-01.pdf)
  2. Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines, Planning Department
    (https://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/tech_doc/hkpsg/index.html)

Contact Information

For enquiry, please contact the Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Civil Engineering and Development Department or the Planning Department:

Geotechnical Projects Division
Geotechnical Engineering Office
Civil Engineering and Development Department
5/F, Civil Engineering and Development Building
101 Princess Margaret Road
Homantin, Kowloon
Hong Kong

Technical Services Section
Planning Department
17/F, North Point Government Offices
333 Java Road
Hong Kong


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