CONFIDENTIAL
For discussion
on 23rd September 1975
機密
ANNEX D TO XCC(77) 14
XCC(75)60 Copy No.....
of 70
MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
RESUMPTION OF LAND IN NEW TERRITORIES LAYOUT AREAS
On 20th November 1973 the Council advised and the Governor ordered that the proposals set out in memorandum XCC(73)97, a copy of which is annexed, should be approved. The memorandum proposed revising the scheme and levels of compensation for Survey District lots resumed in New Kowloon, where the approved exchange system· could no longer be implemented because no further exchange lots were available; it also proposed changes in compensation for land in the rural parts of the New Territories, where statutory levels of compen- sation were no longer adequate.
2
At paragraph 9 of memorandum XCC(73)97 Honourable Members were advised that, in the New Territories towns, because there was sufficient land to meet exchange commitments, and because of the need to retain an opportunity for land owners to obtain exchange land, it was not possible entirely to abolish the exchange system (known as the Letter 'B' scheme). The many hundreds of land owners involved are opposed to the removal of an entitlement to land in new towns after development, in return for the surrender of their village land which enables that development to take place. Many of the land owners want the opportunity to develop themselves or at least to be able to dispose of it themselves for development; they dislike the sytem whereby Government first resumes all their land and then resells it to private developers. Nevertheless, it was stated that a cash alternative might become possible and that a method of implementing it was being con- sidered.
3
55 million square feet of private agricultural land, and rather over 4 million square feet of private building land must be acquired to complete the new towns construction programme. This will give rise to a commitment to provide approximately 36 million square feet of building land for exchange; in addition a commitment already exists to provide 4 million square feet to meet existing out- standing commitments. To meet the outstanding commitment and that which will derive from clearances in the next two years, there is a programme to provide some 12 million square feet of building land by 1980; other areas will be available thereafter, to meet the succeeding commitment.
CONFIDENTIAL **