176
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
On the procedural side the report recommended a master plan and the establishment of a large office to draw up and administer it. The Government, however, did not adopt the master-planning technique, and instead a special section was formed within the Crown Lands and Surveys Office of the Public Works Department to carry out a limited planning policy.
Planning activity is confined generally to the preparation of outline development plans and the co-ordination of the work of the various departments concerned with development. Since 1953 plans have been prepared for twenty four of the less developed of the thirty six planning districts in the urban area and for one major district in the New Territories. Layout plans of a few small New Territories townships and of certain urban areas have also been prepared. These have been used as a guide in the sale of Crown land, but little control has been exercised over the development of private land, except when the lease conditions have enabled this to be done without incurring expenditure from public funds.
In the case of five planning districts, i.e. North Point, Yau Ma Tei, Hung Hom, Ma Tau Kok and Chai Wan, which include a large percentage of private property, and parts of others i.e. Fung Wong Village and Ma Tau Tong Bay where village interests are likely to be affected, the outline development plans have been exhibited publicly, and the resulting criticisms or suggestions considered before final submission to the Governor in Council for approval.
A draft plan for Tai Hang Village, Causeway Bay, was published during the year. The drainage of this area, which was twice flooded in last year's heavy rainstorms, cannot be improved without large scale rebuilding and the raising of the ground level in certain parts of the district. Objections to the draft plan were under consideration by the Government at the end of the year.
The general work of this Town Planning Unit, and in particular the preparation of outline development plans, is done under the auspices of the Town Planning Board established under the Town Planning Ordinance.
Planning during recent years has been mainly concerned with the provision of land for resettlement and every other form of