Approach Beach | |
|---|---|
Beach | |
 Approach Beach | |
  Approach Beach | |
| Coordinates:22°22′03″N114°05′11″E / 22.36739°N 114.08651°E /22.36739; 114.08651 | |
| Location | Ting Kau,New Territories |
| Patrolled by | Leisure and Cultural Services Department |
| Approach Beach | |||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 近水灣泳灘 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 近水湾泳滩 | ||||||||||
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Approach Beach is a gazetted beach located nearYau Kom Tau onCastle Peak Road inTing Kau,New Territories, Hong Kong. The beach has barbecue pits and is managed by theLeisure and Cultural Services Department of theHong Kong Government.[1] The beach is rated as Grade 2 by theEnvironmental Protection Department for its water quality.[2]
The beach, along withTing Kau Beach, is one of the only two gazetted beaches inTsuen Wan District that can "swim inVictoria Harbour". The beach offers views of theTing Kau Bridge as well asTsing Ma Bridge.[3]
In May 1987, the beach was gazetted by the Hong Kong Government andHong Kong Jockey Club assistedRegional Council to open the beach. Less than ten years after the opening, the oil pollution problem due to large ships had become more and more serious. However, since May 1995, the beaches in Tsuen Wan District were closed due to the construction of the nearby Ting Kau and Tsing Ma Bridges and no longer allowed the public to swim due to its poor water quality and lifeguard services have to be suspended.[4]
The beach has been reopened to the public for swimming since 15 June 2011.[5]
In 1995, Approach Beach (along with two other nearby beaches) was closed because the water quality had worsened following the commissioning of Stage 1 of theHarbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS).[6] While HATS Stage 1 overall improved water quality inVictoria Harbour, it worsened conditions in the western area of the harbour because of the large quantity of non-disinfected effluent being released from theStonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works.[7][8]
Permanent disinfection facilities were built at Stonecutters Island under HATS Stage 2, and water quality subsequently improved. Approach Beach was officially reopened to swimmers on 15 June 2011, and lifeguards are provided there once again.[5]
The beach has the following features:[1]
