SOCIAL SERVICES
Housing and Town Planning
Buildings. During 1953, 473 plans involving the construc- tion of 1,097 buildings were submitted to the Director of Public Works for approval. These included 409 European type dwellings, 399 Chinese type dwellings, 30 factories, 3 hotels, 3 cinemas or theatres, 11 schools, 6 churches, 6 blocks of staff quarters, 1 club building, 15 offices, 38 godowns and stores. There were also 2,778 plans covering rehabilitations, alterations and additions, mostly to domestic property; 40 site development schemes, and a large number of plans covering minor construc- tional work, such as garages and temporary buildings.
793 new buildings, comprising 360 European type and 240 Chinese type dwellings and 193 other structures, were completed.
Housing. The serious shortage of living accommodation in the Colony is still an acute problem, but the implementation of certain of the projects referred to in last year's report has made a useful contribution towards a solution.
In addition, private housing schemes by the Yau Yat Chun Development Company, on an area north of Boundary Street, and by Mr. H. Braga, at Kau Lung Tsai and Jardine Lookout, are proceeding and many houses have been completed. Further flats by the Hong Kong Model Housing Society are in the course of erection at North Point and proposals for more flats by the Hong Kong Housing Society, to be financed by the Colony's Development Fund, are under consideration. These schemes are planned to provide accommodation for families with a limited income.
Valuable contribution has also been made to the housing situation as a result of the provision, by some of the larger industrial undertakings, of dormitories and quarters for their workers on land granted by Government at a special low price.
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