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XCR(75)1185
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2
Additionally, the possibility of damage which existed before construc- tion of the railway commenced being wrongly attributed to the rail- way work will be avoided. In practice, pre-construction surveys will in the main be limited to buildings which are clearly more liable to damage, e. g. those of pre-war or early post-war construction. The surveys of buildings will also provide information which can be taken into account at the detailed design and construction stages when, if necessary, special precautions can be taken.
4
Clause 2(b) of the bill proposes a minor amendment to section 12(4) of the principal Ordinance, to ensure that entry into property may be made and work done for the purpose of detecting, as well as repairing, damage caused by the construction of the railway.
5
It should be possible to counter any expression of mis- givings, regarding the extension of the area within which the Director of Public Works may exercise his powers under the Ordinance, with assurances that these powers help to ensure that the safety of buildings within the designated limits is not impaired and that this exercise is, therefore, also in the interests of property owners. It will not be necessary to enter all property within the designated area as much of the recording will be done by photographing the exteriors of buildings. Where entry is necessary, advance notice will be given whenever possible and disturbance will be kept to the minimum.
6
Honourable Members will be asked to advise whether the Mass Transit Railway (Land Resumption and Related Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 1975 should be introduced into the Legislative Council.
(The Secretary for the Environment (Mr J. J. ROBSON), the Director of Public Works (Mr D. W. McDONALD), the Director of Mass Transit Studies (Mr A. H. WILKINS) and the Solicitor General (Mr G. C. THORNTON) will attend before the Council for the discussion of this item).
7th June 1975
(CR 6/5282/73 III)
C.S. 84
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COUNCIL CHAMBER