Practice Note for Authorized Persons,
Buildings Department Registered Structural Engineers and APP-132
Registered Geotechnical Engineers
Site Coverage and Open Space Provision
This practice note describes the factors that the Building Authority (BA)
may take into account in considering applications for flexibility in determining site
coverage and open space provision to facilitate innovative design.
2. From time to time, the Buildings Department (BD) receives enquiries
from the building industry regarding the application of the site coverage and open space
provisions under the Building (Planning) Regulations (B(P)R) to allow for greater
flexibility in the design of buildings. To facilitate innovative building designs, the BA
is in principle prepared to consider applications for more flexible application of the
requirements under Regulations 20 and 25 of the B(P)R and modify the provisions
thereof, on a case by case basis.
Set Back Approach
3. In considering such applications on the ground of setting back a building
for its full height from a site boundary abutting on a street, the BA will take into
account the following criteria:
(a) the setback of the building is of an area not less than 8% of the
site area for non-domestic buildings and not less than 18% of
the site area for domestic buildings. For a composite
building, the non-domestic and domestic portions of the
building should illustrate the required setback of 8% and 18%
respectively;
(b) the building is set back at a length of not less than half of the
frontage and not less than 10m long or the full frontage for site
with frontage less than 10m in length;
(c) there will be satisfactory arrangements for the control and
maintenance of the setback area and any resultant flat roofs and
covered areas;
(d) the setback area is properly landscaped and/or paved and open,
uncovered and without any permanent building structures other
than the landscaped features and perforated boundary walls;
(e) the setback will contribute to improving the street environment;
and
(f) the setback area excludes areas dedicated or surrendered for
public passage under Regulation 22 of the B(P)R.
/4. …..
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4. If the criteria in paragraph 3(a) to (f) are fully met, the BA is prepared to
consider allowing the site coverage of a building at different levels to vary according to
the height of the level within the percentages set out in the tables at Appendix A (for
domestic buildings1) and Appendix B (for non-domestic buildings2). For this purpose,
provided that the total covered area3 of the buildings on the site does not exceed 63% of
the site area (for a domestic building1) and 80% of the site area or the percentage shown
at Appendix B whichever is the greater (for a non-domestic building2), the following
areas may be excluded from the assessment:
(a) unexcavated or backfilled area at a particular level underneath
the footprint of a non-domestic or domestic building on a
sloping site (example at Appendix C); and
(b) open-sided covered areas of non-domestic buildings qualified
as green features under Joint Practice Notes 1 and 2, designated
as common areas, accessible by all occupants of the buildings
and without any commercial activities.
Open Space Approach
5. To encourage the transformation of our existing cityscape into that of an
attractive and vibrant city, the BA is also prepared to consider the relaxation of the site
coverage and open space requirements as stipulated in Regulations 20 and 25 (if
applicable) of the B(P)R to allow greater flexibility in the design of innovative and
sustainable buildings for creating pleasant and aesthetic city skyline. Modification of
or exemption from the relevant regulations may be granted subject to the merits of
individual cases fulfilling the following criteria and the satisfactory demonstration that
the buildings are of innovative design4 with vibrant configuration and are compatible
with the surrounding environment:
(a) the volume of the un-built open space 5 of the proposed
building within the site would not be less than that of a viable
notional scheme6;
(b) the gross floor area (GFA) of the proposed building would not
exceed that of the viable notional scheme;
/(c) …..
1
Domestic building includes the domestic part of a composite building.
2
Non-domestic building includes the non-domestic part of a composite building.
3
The ‘total covered area’ is the portion of the site covered by building(s) or in simple terms, the footprint
of the shadow cast vertically down onto a site. It shall include the features exempted from site
coverage calculation under Joint Practice Notes 1 and 2 but exclude the projections under Practice Note
for Authorized Persons, Registered Structural Engineers and Registered Geotechnical Engineers
APP-19.
4
A building design adopting the maximum permitted site coverage as stipulated in paragraph 5(c) and/or
(d) on every floor of the building may not be regarded as an innovative design.
5
The volume of the un-built open space of both the proposed building and the viable notional scheme
should be measured from the mean level of the lowest street on which the subject site abuts to the mean
height of the roof over the highest usable floor space in the building of the viable notional scheme.
6
In this context, the viable notional scheme should comply with the Buildings Ordinance and allied
regulations and the requirements as stipulated in the Outline Zoning Plan.
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(c) the maximum site coverage at any level for a domestic building
or the domestic part of a composite building would not exceed
63%; and
(d) the maximum site coverage for a non-domestic building or the
non-domestic part of a composite building at any level not
exceeding 24 m from the street level would not exceed 92%,
and at any level exceeding 24 m from the street level would not
exceed 80%.
6. The granting of site coverage concessions as set out in paragraphs 3 to 5
above is subject to the compliance with the same pre-requisites as those for granting
GFA concession stipulated in PNAP APP-151.
7. Notwithstanding the above, the specific site coverage control as
specified in the statutory town plans, if any, must be observed in the design of building
development. Where lease modification is required for the implementation of any
approved building design in pursuance of the flexibility provided above, premium may
be payable upon the granting of such modification. In this regard, the Practice Note
No. 1/2004 on this subject issued by the Lands Administration Office of the Lands
Department (which can be downloaded from its website [Link] is
relevant and the procedures set out therein should be followed.
( AU Choi-kai )
Building Authority
Ref. : BD GR/BREG/P/2
BD GR/CONS/25
This PNAP is previously known as PNAP 280
First issue January 2004
This revision December 2012 (AD/NB1) (Paras. 2, 3, 4 & 7 amended and
paras. 5 & 6 added)
Appendix A
(PNAP APP-132)
Permitted site coverage for domestic buildings at specific height
Height of a level of a building in metres
Percentage site coverage
from street level
Not exceeding 24 63
25 62
26 60
27 59
28 58
29 56
30 55
31 54
32 53
33 53
34 52
35 51
36 50
37 50
38 49
39 49
40 48
41 48
42 48
43 47
44 47
45 46
46 46
47 45
48 45
49 44
50 44
51 43
52 43
53 43
54 42
55 42
56 42
57 42
58 42
59 41
60 41
61 41
over 61 40
(Rev. 12/2012)
Appendix B
(PNAP APP-132)
Permitted site coverage for non-domestic buildings at specific height
Height of a level of a building in metres
Percentage site coverage
from street level
Not exceeding 24 92
25 91
26 91
27 90
28 90
29 89
30 88
31 88
32 87
33 86
34 86
35 85
36 85
37 84
38 83
39 83
40 82
41 81
42 80
43 80
44 79
45 78
46 77
47 77
48 76
49 75
50 74
51 73
52 73
53 72
54 71
55 70
56 69
57 68
58 68
59 67
60 66
61 65
over 61 65
(Rev. 12/2012)
Appendix C
(PNAP APP-132)
Example illustrating assessment of site coverage
at a particular level of a building on a sloping site
FLAT ROOF OTHER
THAN MAIN ROOF
FOR ENJOYMENT OF
THE RESIDENTS
Unexcavated or backfilled area at a particular
level excluded from site coverage assessment
Total covered area not to exceed :
− domestic building : 63% of site area; or
− non-domestic building : 80% of the site
area or the percentage shown at Appendix
B whichever is the greater
(Rev. 12/2012)