Countryside Conservation Office publishes guides to guesthouse and food business licence applications in countryside areas
The Countryside Conservation Office (CCO) of the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) today (December 17) announced the publication of guides to guesthouse and food business licence applications in countryside areas, which provides guidance for individuals interested in operating guesthouses or food business premises in countryside areas to apply for relevant licences.
A spokesperson for the CCO said, "Many countryside villages in the New Territories offer both natural scenery and rich cultural heritage, and many members of the public pay visits to these areas during weekends and holidays. However, the number of guesthouses and food business premises currently operating in countryside areas is limited, as the process of licence applications can be challenging, given matters such as land and planning are involved. To assist individuals who are interested in operating guesthouses or food business premises in the countryside areas, the Government has set up an interdepartmental Task Force on Guesthouse and Food Business Licences in Countryside Areas. The Task Force has enhanced and rationalised the implementation details and steps of the relevant processes and formulated a series of streamlined measures covering planning, land, and licensing matters, taking into account the uniqueness of the rural settings. The CCO has compiled these measures into the guides, listing out key points-to-note in the process of licence applications, and providing contact information of the relevant departments."
The streamlined measures put forward by the Government include:
- Based on the requirements of the relevant statutory Outline Zoning Plans (OZPs), for New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs) constructed by virtue of the Buildings Ordinance (Application to the New Territories) Ordinance within the land use zone of "Village Type Development", including those NTEHs built after 1961, operating a food business on their ground floor is always permitted, without the need to apply for planning permission. Villagers may commence business upon obtaining a valid licence;
- For existing Old Village Houses (OVHs) eligible for guesthouse/food business licence applications, Short Term Tenancy (STT) rental and Short Term Waiver (STW) fees arising from encroachment on government land or breach of lease conditions will only begin to accrue from the date when the business licence is issued, and the payment of a one-off administrative fee for applying STT and STW is waived;
- A series of templates and checklists for tackling town planning and land matters have been prepared to help villagers and operators better understand the licensing requirements and procedures, thereby saving costs and time;
- A "Third party certification" template and prescribed form for certifying OVHs' structural stability have been prepared; and
- A new mechanism has been established to assess existing septic tanks systems of relevant premises through "third party certification", obviating the need to construct new ones.
Since the formulation of the above streamlined measures, there have been guesthouses, a takeaway shop and a restaurant located in Lai Chi Wo, Yim Tin Tsai and Kuk Po respectively, having been granted relevant business licences. The Government will continue to facilitate the trade by further simplifying the food business licensing regime and expediting the approval process for applications for outdoor seating areas of restaurants, with a view to implementing the measures stipulated in the Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address.
The guides have been uploaded to the CCO website (cco.gov.hk/en/licensing).
Guide to Guesthouse Licence Application in Countryside Areas
www.eeb.gov.hk/sites/default/files/conservation/files/Full_GH_licensing_guide_en.pdf.
Guide to Food Business Licence Application in Countryside Areas
www.eeb.gov.hk/sites/default/files/conservation/files/Full_FB_licensing_guide_en.pdf.
Source: AI-found images
